Gagaku

lit. "elegant music" is a type of Japanese classical music that was historically used for imperial court music and dances. was developed as court music of the Kyoto Imperial Palace, and its near-current form was established in the Heian period (794-1185) around the 10th century. Today, it is performed by the Board of Ceremonies in the Tokyo Imperial Palace. Gagaku consists of three primary repertoires: Native Shinto religious music and imperial songs and dance, called 国風歌舞 Vocal music based on native folk poetry, called 謡物 Songs and dance based on foreign-style music A Chinese, Vietnamese and Indian form (specifically Tang Dynasty), called 唐楽 A Korean and Manchurian form, called 高麗楽 like , employ the yo scale, a pentatonic scale with ascending intervals of two, three, two, two, and three semitones between the five scale tones. Artistically it differs from the music of the corresponding Chinese form (雅楽) which is a term reserved for ceremonial music. The prototype of 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 (the 13-stringed zither) and the (a short-necked lute) had been introduced into Japan from China. Various instruments, including these two, were the earliest used to play . Even though the Japanese use the same term, 雅楽 ( in Mandarin Chinese, in Cantonese), the form of music imported from China was primarily banquet music () rather than the ceremonial music of the Chinese . The importation of music peaked during the Tang Dynasty, and these pieces are called (Tang music). pieces that originated at a time earlier than Tang Dynasty are called (ancient music), while those originating after the Tang Dynasty are called (new music). The term itself was first recorded in 701, when the first imperial academy of music was established. Music from the Korean kingdom of Goguryeo had been recorded as early as 453 AD, and was eventually used as a term that covered all Korean pieces, the Goguryeo kingdom being referred to as Koma in Japanese.