About Shōmyō
Shōmyō is a music genre. It is usually classed as a form of Buddhist chant and Japanese classical music.
From Wikipedia
Shōmyō (声明) is a style of Japanese Buddhist chant, used mainly in the Tendai and Shingon traditions. There are two styles: ryokyoku (呂曲) and rikkyoku (律曲), described as difficult and easy to remember, respectively.
Shōmyō, like gagaku, employs the yo scale, a pentatonic scale with ascending intervals of two, three, two, two, and three semitones.
Genre family tree
Parent genres (↑) and subgenres (↓) of Shōmyō.
- ↑ Buddhist chant
- ↑ Japanese classical music
Frequently asked questions
What is Shōmyō?
Shōmyō is a music genre. It is usually classed as a form of Buddhist chant and Japanese classical music.