Fudai-ji: KYOREI 1. About the title: This is on& of the Three Traditional Pieces (Koten-Sankyoku). Among classical honkyoku it has come to be considered the piece with the most ancient origins. Please read the section on the Koten-Sankyoku in "Commonly Used Titles" for the traditional explanation of its derivation. 2. Structure of the piece: The piece has an extremely unusual structure in that it is constructed systematically from five short melodic patterns and repetitions of them. It can be broadly divided into two sections, an opening dan and a closing dan which could be seen as a kind of "returning." Opening dan: a (3 times) - b - a - b - c (3 times) - d (3 times) - e - a. Closing dan: a - b - d (3 times) - e - a. The entire piece is played in Ro (first octave), but the closing dan can be played in Ko (second octave) according to circumstances. 3. Special features of the piece: Although the piece is assembled from extremely simple melodic patterns, there is no simplistic feeling to it; rather, it conveys a sense of remarkably crafted tension. As the point of origin for classical shakuhachi honkyoku it could be said to possess the appropriate style and fundamental quality. The feeling of systematic order and the feeling of firm and sturdy structure that permeate the entire piece are without equal among other honkyoku: so much so that one is included to believe the legend that this piece actually originated in China. As explained before, there are several types of pieces all called Kyorei, but considering the pre-modern mood of this piece we are inclined to think of it as the form which best transmits the old original form.