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The Rag–dung (Cloisonné Trumpets)

• 

  Rag-dung, Ming dynasty (1368–1644), early 17th century
  China
  Copper, cloisonné, brass; L. 74 in. (188 cm); (1989.33) L. 76 9/16 in. (194.5 cm)
  Rogers Fund, 1989 (1989.33)
  Purchase, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Robert P. Freedman, by exchange, 1988 (1988.349)

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Although Confucianism remained the basis for the structure of government in China, it was Buddhism, introduced in the first century B.C., that flourished from the Han to the Tang dynasties (206 B.C.–906 A.D.) and continued to exert its influence thereafter. Among the instruments associated with Tibetan Buddhism are rag-dung, long trumpets played in pairs for morning and evenings calls to prayer, preludes, and processions. The Tibetan word dung means "shell," and when used alone or followed by dkar it refers to a conch-shell trumpet. When combined with other qualifying words, it denotes different types of trumpets, as with rkang-dung ("femur trumpet"), rag-dung ("brass trumpet"), and dung-chen ("large trumpet").

Tibetan-style long trumpets were among the many instruments made in China and sent as gifts to impress officials of bordering nations like Tibet.

Related

Timelines (6)

• Himalayan Region, 1000–1400 a.d.
• Himalayan Region, 1400–1600 a.d.
• Himalayan Region, 500–1000 a.d.
• South Asia, 1–500 a.d.
• South Asia, 1000 b.c.–1 a.d.
• South Asia, 1600–1800 a.d.

Primary Thematic Essays (2)

• Ming Dynasty (1368–1644)
• Music and Art of China

Other Thematic Essays (10)

• Chinese Cloisonné
• Great Plains Indians Musical Instruments
• Han Dynasty (206 B.C.–220 A.D.)
• Life of the Buddha
• List of Rulers of China
• Music in the Ancient Andes
• Musical Instruments of Oceania
• Tang Dynasty (618–906)
• The Pipa
• The Qin

Maps (3)

• East Asia, 1600-1800 A.D.
• South and Southeast Asia, 1600-1800 A.D.
• World, 1600-1800 A.D.

Index Terms (12)

Art Movement/Style

• Han Dynasty of China
• Ming Dynasty of China
• Tang Dynasty of China

Geography/Place

• China
• Himalayan Region

Material and Technique

• Cloisonné
• Enamel
• Shell

Object

• Musical Instruments from East Asia
• Brass Instrument
• Wind Instrument

Subject Matter/Theme

• Buddhist Musical Instruments

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By the Ming dynasty, the rag-dung may have been used in court rituals, as the elegantly decorated examples illustrated here attest. It was rare for musical instruments to be enameled; cloisonné was more often reserved for containers like boxes or vases. These Tibetan-style long trumpets, one depicting an imperial five-fingered dragon chasing a "jewel" and the other lotus blossoms and scrolls (1989.33, 1989.33), were among the many instruments made in China and sent as gifts to impress officials of bordering nations like Tibet. Such gifts were not uncommon in East Asia and on occasion even the musicians who played them were sent as part of the gift. This political custom promoted the dissemination of musical and often political ideas. Like many Asian trumpets, the conical tubes comprising the instrument are collapsed within each other for easy transport.



J. Kenneth Moore Department of Musical Instruments, The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Citation Moore, J. Kenneth. "The Rag-dung (Cloisonné Trumpets)". In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/dung/hd_dung.htm (October 2003) Further Reading Helffer, Mireille Mchod-rol: Les instruments de la musique tibétaine. Paris: CNRS Éditions, 1994. Pertl, Brian "Some Observations on the 'Dung Chen' of the Nechung Monastery." Asian Music 23, no. 2 (1992), pp. 89–96. . n/a: n/a, n/a. Related exhibitions and online features Special Exhibitions (including upcoming, current, and past exhibitions)