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Shingetsu

心月

[Genre]Honkyoku
[School]Dokyoku / Chikushinkai

History (Tajima Tadashi):

It means both heart, mind, and spirit. The moon (getsu) is symbolic of enlightenment, perfection, and other worldliness. Title can be Spirit Perfection or Enlightenment of the Mind.

Shingetsu appears on the following albums

Album Artist
Play ButtonArt of the Japanese Bamboo Flute, The Shakuhachi : Watazumi Dōso Roshi
Play ButtonBamboo In Zen Shakuhachi : Alcvin Ryuzen Ramos

Breath-Sight - Yearning for the Bell Volume 1 Shakuhachi : Riley Kōho Lee
Heart / Moon

In Buddhist traditions the moon, being not of this world, is a symbol of perfection and of enlightenment. "Shin" can be translated as both heart and mind, or spirit and soul. Extremely long phrases characterize this austere piece. Played on a 3.1 shaku flute.
Play ButtonHis Practical Philosophy - 1 Shakuhachi : Watazumi Dōso Roshi
Play ButtonHotchiku (CD) Shakuhachi : Watazumi Dōso Roshi
("The Moonlit Soul")

The title Shingetsu is taken from the words of Chinese Zen master Panshan, "The enlightened soul is like the solitary moon, its light engulfing all." The workings of the heart and soul are often compared to light. This piece is a tone poem expressing the light of the moon that illuminates the world beneath it. Watazumi describes the piece as "Expressing the state of contemplation of Watazumi-Do through the medium of the hocchiku."

A 1.7 shaku hocchiku was used for this piece.

Ichi Shakuhachi : Horacio Curti
The first ideogram menas at the same time mind, heart and spirit. The second one, the moon, has a special significance in Buddhism related to enlightenment.
Play ButtonIn Dead Earnest Part 2 Shakuhachi : Ishikawa Toshimitsu
Play ButtonJapan - Tajima Tadashi, Master of Shakuhachi Shakuhachi : Tajima Tadashi
Mode of the moon in the heart, G, 2.7 shaku

An interpretation of this piece depicts the clear moon reflected in a heart in solitary confinement as if to illuminate the universe and the whole of creation. The enlightenment of this spiritual person is expressed through serenely sustained sounds enhanced by a series of sophisticated ornaments.
Play ButtonJapanese Bamboo Flute Shakuhachi : Richard Stagg
Play ButtonKatsuya Yokoyama Plays Shakuhachi - 2 Shakuhachi : Yokoyama Katsuya
Play ButtonKoten Shakuhachi Shakuhachi : Kakizakai Kaoru
An image of a slender crescent moon shining starkly in the sheer darkness of late autumn comes to mind. The breath is never enough, no matter how hard one tries.

Mountain Hermit's Secret Wisdom Shakuhachi : Cornelius Shinzen Boots
Play ButtonMysterious Sound of Bamboo Flute - 2 Shakuhachi : Watazumi Dōso Roshi
The title Shingetsu comes from the ancient Chinese poem, "The enlightened soul is like the solitary moon, it's light engulfing all."

The piece shows the way in which dynamic movement can exist within a serene, pure sound.

A 3.25 shaku hocchiku was used for this piece. This hocchiku, as well, is natural bamboo, crafted by merely opening holes in a laundry pole.

Mysterious Sounds of the Japanese Bamboo Flute - Watazumido-Shuso, The Shakuhachi : Watazumi Dōso Roshi
This tune is an expression of the flutterings of quiet, clear sounds. This 98 cm Hotchiku was made from an ordinary piece of bamboo.

Poeme du Bambou Shakuhachi : Marco Lienhard
Play ButtonShakuhachi Suiso Shakuhachi : Furuya Teruo
Play ButtonShika no Tone Shakuhachi Koten Meikyoku Shusei - 2 Shakuhachi : Yokoyama Katsuya
Shingetsu denotes a state of mind resembling clear moonlight.

Shingetsu Shakuhachi : Tajima Tadashi
It means both heart, mind, and spirit. The moon (getsu) is symbolic of enlightenment, perfection, and other worldliness. Title can be Spirit Perfection or Enlightenment of the Mind.
Play ButtonSokkan Shakuhachi : Taniguchi Yoshinobu
The calming effect of moonlight has spoken to poets and philosophers for years and is the inner feeling from which one plays this song. The form of an object is illuminated by the light and casts shadows which surround it. The space around the object shapes and defines it. One should focus on the space around the physical realm wherein lives the spirit of light. Freeing one's mind in the non-physical realm, like the light spirit, allows one to take on any form.

Shingetsu is characterized by the interspersing of a very light komibuki technique throughout the composition. This adds a bit of forward movement or momentum to the piece, but since the tempo is very slow as compared to Oaha or the Nezasa pieces and has no variation, it tends to create a safe and secure feeling.

The player knows what is coming next and at what speed. There are very long one-breath phrases which maintain a feeling of calmness throughout this song. The signature phrase found in the middle of the piece and again in the last line where the "Ho" note is repeated should be played in a reverent spirit. A longer shakuhachi is best for expressing the depth of feeling and mood of Shingetsu.

Sounds from Japan Shakuhachi : Yokoyama Katsuya
This is a Shakuhachi honkyoku. "Kofuke-sect", named after Fuke Zenshi, one of Zen priests of Tang era of China, which makes it priests' duty to blow Shakuhachi, is one of the Buddhist sects peculiar to Japan. Shakuhachi players called Fuke-sect followers or Komuso who came from the Samurai clan used to go on a walking tour throughout the country blowing Shakuhachi in the search of reaching the stage of deliverance of soul. This is the song of their hearts and has been handed down by such Buddhists. The composer and the date of composition are unknown, therefore. Shingetsu is characterized by long phrase. Whenever I play this tune, I wish I could breathe twice as long as usual. This is a small but great tune. (Katsuya Yokoyama)
Play ButtonSpirit of Silence, The Shakuhachi : Iwamoto Yoshikazu
"Shingetsu" (Moon of the heart), as a Buddhist term, symbolizes the true reality which underlies all phenomenal discrimination. In a more general term, "Shingetsu" symbolizes the clarity and purity of the heart.

Tajima Tadashi Shakuhachi no Sekai I Shakuhachi : Tajima Tadashi
Play ButtonWorld of Zen Music, The - Saji Shakuhachi : Nakamura Akikazu
This piece is thought to be based on a piece entitled Yamato choshi transmitted by Tani Kyochiku (1882-1950), but its pervasive mood of tranquility and profundity marks it off distinctly from this other piece.

Watazumidoso described Shingetsu as reflecting the ability of the enlightened spirit to embrace the whole of creation and to transcend dualism: both tranquility and dynamism are here transcended, and it is this transcedental quality which the performer must strive to express.

This is the quietest and most subdued piece in the komuso shakuhachi repertoire.
Play ButtonZen - Katsuya Yokoyama - 02 Shakuhachi : Yokoyama Katsuya
Shingetsu denotes a state of mind resembling clear moonlight.