The Relation between Six-holed Shakuhachi Pipes and the Eighty-four Modes

Abstract

This article reconsiders the temperaments and origin of the shakuhachi pipes (尺八; chiba) preserved at the Hôryû-ji Temple, as well as those of the eight specimens owned by the Shôsô-in Repository.
　　A six-holed shakuhachi, which could play a heptatonic scale, was formerly considered an instrument exclusively used for engaku (燕楽; yanyue: music and dance developed for palace banquet entertainment in the Tang dynasty). However, Akedo (2013) indicated that the shakuhachi preserved at the Hôryû-ji Temple have existed since prior to the Tang dynasty. It is therefore necessary to consider the eighty-four modes theory, based on the heptatonic scale, which was proposed for gagaku (雅楽; yayue: ancient Chinese court music) by ZHENG Yi (鄭訳: 540-591) in 568.
　　Through an examination of archival documents and existing data on the temperaments of preserved six-holed shakuhachi, this article suggests that these shakuhachi were invented to put the theory of the eighty-four modes to practical use during the Sui and Tang dynasties. Temperaments such as the whole tone scale of the shakuhachi preserved at the Hôryû-ji Temple indicate that it can play all eighty-four modes on this instrument through the technique of closing finger holes by half. Additionally, based on the temperaments of the instruments in the Shôsô-in Repository, it is valid to suppose that LU Cai (呂才: circa 600-665) invented the twelve shakuhachi after the Tang court adopted the theory in 626.
　　Furthermore, the three types of pipes gifted to Japan by Baekje's king Uija-wang (義慈王: 599-660) can produce all twenty-eight secular modes by applying ten fingerings to each pipe. It therefore seems natural to conclude that the twenty-eight modes were established before the bestowal, and Japan learned this mode system through Baekje.