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Explanation:
The prototype of gagaku was introduced into Japan with Buddhism from China. In 589, Japanese official diplomatic delegations were sent to China (during the Sui dynasty) to learn Chinese culture, including Chinese court music. By the 7th century, the koto (a zither) and the biwa (a short-necked lute) had been introduced into Japan from China. Various instruments, including these two, were the earliest used to play gagaku.
Even though the Japanese use the same term 雅楽 (yǎyuè in Mandarin Chinese, ngahngohk in Cantonese), the form of music imported from China was primarily banquet music engaku rather than the ceremonial music of the Chinese yǎyuè. The importation of music peaked during the Tang Dynasty, and these pieces are called Tōgaku (Tang music). Gagaku pieces earlier than Tang Dynasty are called kogaku (ancient music), while those from after the Tang Dynasty are called shingaku (new music). The term gagaku itself was first recorded in 701, when the first imperial academy of music Gagakuryō was established.[5]
Music from the Korean kingdom of Goguryeo, which is pronounced Koma in Japanese, had been recorded as early as 453 AD, and komagaku was eventually used as a term that covered all Korean pieces. Komagaku and Tōgaku became established in southern Japan during the Nara period (710–794). In 736, music from India and Vietnam were also introduced and these are called Tenjikugaku (天竺楽) and Rinyūgaku (林邑楽) respectively.
In the 8th century, during the Nara period, gagaku was performed at national events, such as the erection of the Great Buddha of Todai-ji Temple, by organizing gagaku performance groups at large temples.
From the 9th century to the 10th century, during the Heian period, traditional gagaku was developed and indigenous to Japan through fusion with music unique to Japan, and it changed greatly. Gagaku was almost completed by the fusion of Tōgaku, Komagaku, Tenjikugaku and Rinyūgaku which were introduced from Asian countries, with Kuniburi no utamai, traditional Japanese music, and Utaimono, songs born in the Heian period.[2][3] During this period, Many pieces of gagaku music were created and foreign-style gagaku music were arranged and renewed. gagaku was also reorganized, and foreign-style gagaku music was classified into categories called Sahō (左方, left side) and Uhō (右方, right side). Chinese, Vietnamese and Indian style was classified on the Sahō, and Korean and Manchurian style was classified on the Uhō. And Tenjikugaku and Rinyūgaku were also included in the category of Tōgaku.[2][3][6]
The popularity of gagaku reached its peak in the 9th century to the 10th century when court aristocracy began to hold private concerts, but declined in the Kamakura period (1185-1333) when the power of the court aristocracy became diminished while that of the samurai rose.[6] Gagaku was played by musicians who belonged to hereditary guilds. During the Kamakura period, military rule was imposed and gagaku was performed rarely at court. At this time, there were three guilds, based in Osaka, Nara and Kyoto.
Because of the Ōnin War, a civil war from 1467 to 1477 during the Muromachi period, gagaku ensembles ceased to perform in Kyoto for about 100 years. In the Edo period, the Tokugawa Shogunate revived and reorganized the court-style ensembles, the direct ancestors of the present gagaku ensembles.
After the Meiji Restoration of 1868, musicians from all three guilds came to the capital and their descendants make up most of the current Tokyo Imperial Palace Music Department. By that time, the present ensemble composition had been established, consisting of three wind instruments – hichiriki, ryūteki, and shō (bamboo mouth organ used to provide harmony) – and three percussion instruments – kakko (small drum), shōko (metal percussion), and taiko (drum) or dadaiko (large drum), supplemented by gakubiwa.
Gagaku also accompanies classical dance performances called bugaku (舞楽). It may be used in religious ceremonies in some Buddhist temples.[7]
In 1955, the Japanese government recognized gagaku and bugaku as important National Treasures.
Today, gagaku is performed in three ways:[8]
