Abstract
The shomyo of the Kosho branch of the Jodo Shinshu sect is known to have been heavily influenced by theshomyo of the Tendai sect. The Kosho branch was originally part of the Honganji branch of the Jodo Shinshu sect, which practiced Tendai shomyo, but in Meiji 9th year (1876) it seceded and established itself as a separate branch of the same sect. From that time on, the shomyo practiced in the Honganji branch gradually shifted away from Tendai practice to a new characteristically individual method of performance. However, in the new Kosho branch, Tendai style shomyo continued to be studied and practiced, and the members of the branch have continued their positive attitude towards adopting Tendai shomyo.
This article, then, deals with the extent to which the members of the Kosho branch have managed to adopt Tendai practices, and by examining the similarities of the practices of the two, attempts to clarify the nature of this relationship. By selecting fourteen pieces from the Kosho branch repertoire said especially to derive from Tendai models, a comparison was made of the melodic patterns employed by the two different groups. As a result, it was found that the names, musical shape and function of melodic patterns in these fourteen pieces were very similar to those in the Tendai shomyo practice, and that the influence of the Tendai practice was accordingly very strong.
However, within the shomyo practice of the Kosho branch, elements other than Tendai shomyo, such as individual practices of the branch and forms derived from the practices of the old Honganji branch, have also contributed to building up the present performance practice, and it would seem to be essential in any further study to consider the melodic patterns of pieces in the repertoire not considered to derive from Tendai models.
