Dayan Naxi ancient music

Dongjing music was used by literati in ancient China as part of elaborate musical ritual activities. Disciples of Confucius used it to promote inner peace. Taoists adopted it for physical and spiritual exercises. The main scripture used is the "Transcendent Scripture of the Great Grotto of Wenchangg (Wenchang Dadong Xianjing). Wenchangis the patron god of the literati.

During the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties, Dongjing music was popular among the educated elites. During the Jiajing period (1522-66 AD) of the Ming dynasty, the headman of Naxi, Yunnan brought Dongjing music into the Yunnan Province from Nanjing, Fujian and Sichuan. In the late Qing dynasty, with the spread of western knowledge, Dongjing music almost ceased to exist in Central China. Fortunately in the remote and isolated area of southwest China, known as Lijiang, the Naxi people continued to enjoy Dongjing music.

The Dayan Naxi Ancient Music Association was officially established in 1987 by the Dongjing specialists Xuan Ke, He Yi'an and Yang Zenglie to carry out research and promote Dongjing as well as to train young players. Its debut concert in July 1988 and subsequent performances have aroused much attention and interest in China and among overseas scholars and music lovers. In 1995 the group toured in the UK.

The group enjoys the prestige of having "three old rarities": old music pieces, which date back to the Tang dynasty (618-906), ancient and authentic instruments, and elderly musicians.