Funeral Music of Tu-jia people in Changyang County

• Main Authors: Huang, Chiu-yu, 黃楸喻
• Other Authors: 蔡宗德
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2012
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/35668195030819896069

碩士 === 國立臺南藝術大學 === 民族音樂學研究所 === 100 === Regardless of gender division or social hierarchy, the death of elders is considered as following the path of life within Tu-jia people. Voluntarily, neighbors and relatives would help the bereaved family to organize the funeral affairs. There is a saying among Tu-jia community: “every Tu-jia will assist funeral affairs once a person passes away; playing funerary drum first and then contributing efforts.” Playing the funerary drum, also called funerary dance or Sayerhuo in Tu-jia language, is the most representative musical ceremony in Tu-jia funerary culture. To the Tu-jia community in Qiuzhen town of Changyang County, Hubei Province, the practice of Sayerhuo is a core in funeral. A master of playing funerary drum will be invited to the bereaved family for leading the deceased’s relatives and friends to sing and dance. This ritual would be last for one to three days to serve the purposes of praising the departed one and alleviating the sorrow of the family. The funeral, as a “white celebration,” is therefore hosted lively and cheerfully. Sayerhou as a means of mourning the dear ones who pass away is a significant musical ritual to link the whole funeral in Tu-jia culture. Through personal fieldwork and musical analysis of Sayerhuo, this project shows firsthand information and music of Tu-jia style funeral. It further examines the meanings and representations of Tu-jia spiritual ideology, belief system, and semiotics in its funeral music and ritual. Based on the current development of contemporary Tu-jia culture, the main content of this study also discusses its traditional music in the future.