日本唐樂曲《蘇莫者》及其南海來源

Somokusha the Japan’s Togaku Music and its Indian Source

《蘇莫者》是一支起源於天竺,由林邑僧佛哲從南海傳入日本的東南亞樂曲。從10世紀起,此曲編屬唐樂盤涉調,用於佛寺塔供養,由大阪四天王寺舞人傳承。關於其來歷有多種傳説,乃反映了它用於祈雨,進而由"小曲"發展爲"中曲",由獨舞發展爲羣舞的過程。對《蘇莫者》進行考察,有助於認識日本雅樂以佛教團體爲載體的事實,以及中古"歌舞戲"的性質及來歷——《蘇莫遮》和《撥頭》、《伴侣》等西域樂曲代表了印度假面樂舞的陸路傳播,而《蘇莫者》和《拔頭》、《倍臚》等林邑樂曲則代表了這種假面樂舞的海路傳播。

Somokusha(Sumozhe,蘇莫者)is an ancient Southeast Asian tune,originated from India and then introduced into Japan by a monk from Linyi(林邑).Since the 10 th century,Somokusha has been compiled into Banshiki-cho of Togaku music(唐樂盤涉調),used for offerings to the Buddha in Buddhist temples and pagodas and handed down by Shi Tennoji Temple(四天王寺)’s dancers in Osaka.There have been quite a few tales as to its origin,reflecting the process of its being used to pray for rain,and then being developed from small tune to moderate tune as well as from solo dance to group dance.Investigating Somokusha helps to realize the fact that Japanese Gagaku music is carried by Buddhist groups,and the nature and origin of"singing and dancing drama"in the Middle Ages as well,because the tunes such as Sumozhe(蘇莫遮),Botou(撥頭)and Banlv(伴侣)represent the transmission of Indian Masked dances to music by land,while the tunes Somokusha,Batou(拔頭)and Beilu(倍臚)and so on represent their transmission by sea.