ABSTRACT
The survival of Wutaishan's Buddhist music speaks to the practice's value as a local and religious tradition and to its remarkable adaptability in the face of drastically changing political, religious and economic circumstances. Wenshu is an important figure in Tibeto-Mongolian as well as Chinese Buddhism. Because of Wenshu's vital role in Tibetan Tantrayana sects, and also due to the proximity of the area to Mongolian areas dominated by those sects, Wutaishan houses both Han Chinese and Tibeto-Mongolian Buddhist monasteries. Buddhist ritual at Wutaishan traditionally involves unique local styles of both chant and instrumental music. Wutaishan's chant, called by its practitioners the "Northern style", is generally faster than the more common "Southern style", and uses some unique local melodies. Even though Wutaishan's monasteries were closed down during the Cultural Revolution, the region did not see destruction of its Buddhist material culture on the scale seen in some parts of China.
