范真撰文：竹聲無界——千鳥幸生與尺八的當代行旅

范真撰文：竹聲無界——千鳥幸生與尺八的當代行旅

Written by Chun Fan：The Boundless Sound of Bamboo — The Contemporary Journey of Yukio Chidori and the Shakuhachi

千鳥幸生（Yukio Chidori），一位來自日本京都的尺八演奏家、作曲人與文化行者。他的音樂生涯並非始於古典樂章或宗派傳承，而是來自一次銀幕前的震撼——日本電影大師黑澤明的電影《亂》，以及其中由武滿徹所創作的樂章所帶來的靈魂撞擊。

Yukio Chidori, a Shakuhachi performer, composer, and cultural ambassador from Kyoto, Japan, embarked on a musical journey that was not rooted in classical music or sectarian traditions, but in a profound cinematic experience. This experience began with the film Ran by the legendary Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa, and the haunting soundtrack composed by Toru Takemitsu. The soul-stirring music deeply moved Chidori, leading him to explore the world of Shakuhachi.

「那時年輕的我，第一次感受到一種樂器能讓空氣靜止，讓心跳放慢——那就是尺八。」

“As a young person, I felt for the first time that a musical instrument could stop the air, slow the heartbeat—this was the Shakuhachi.”

這份觸動，讓他循聲追索，從《亂》的配樂走進武滿徹的經典作品《November Steps》，從電影走向音樂，從聆聽走向演奏。他決定學習尺八——這個源自中國唐宋時期、卻在日本經過千年演化後帶有禪宗精神的古老樂器。

This profound emotional impact led him to pursue the sound of the Shakuhachi, following the music from Ran into Takemitsu's classical work November Steps, transitioning from listening to performing. He decided to learn the Shakuhachi—a traditional Japanese instrument that evolved from the Tang and Song dynasties in China, but which, after a thousand years in Japan, carries the spirit of Zen Buddhism.

竹音啟程：從銀幕夢想到香港街角

The Sound of Bamboo Begins: From the Silver Screen to the Streets of Hong Kong

出人意料的是，千鳥幸生的尺八之路並非始於京都，而是1997年的香港。在這個語言不通、文化南轅北轍的城市，他卻首次真正接觸並學習尺八。起初只是參加「香港日本人俱樂部・邦樂同好會」，與在港的日本樂手切磋合奏，但這份「旁聽者的熱愛」很快轉化為生命中的主旋律。

Surprisingly, Chidori’s Shakuhachi journey did not begin in Kyoto, but in Hong Kong in 1997. In this city, where language and culture were vastly different, he encountered the Shakuhachi for the first time. Initially, he joined the Hong Kong Japanese Club’s "Bungaku Enthusiast Group," where he practiced and performed with other Japanese musicians. What began as a “casual interest” quickly transformed into the main theme of his life.

數年後，他遠赴日本深造，並有幸與當地著名尺八演奏家與樂團同台演出，逐步走向專業之路。香港——這個原本只是偶然邂逅尺八的地方，最終卻成了他修行與創作的真正舞台。

A few years later, he traveled to Japan to deepen his studies, and had the opportunity to perform alongside renowned Shakuhachi musicians and ensembles. Eventually, Hong Kong, which had merely been the place where he stumbled upon the Shakuhachi, became the true stage for his practice and creation.

在邊緣重構中心：尺八與當代生活的交會

Reconstructing the Center from the Edge: The Intersection of the Shakuhachi and Contemporary Life

尺八的學習從不容易。千鳥坦言：「它不像其他樂器那樣給你即時回饋，它要你沉著、要你靜心、要你『不急』。」正是這種極需耐心與自省的特性，讓他在動盪多變的城市中找到了精神支柱。

Learning the Shakuhachi is not easy. Chidori admits: “It doesn’t offer instant feedback like other instruments; it requires composure, calmness, and patience.” It is this need for patience and introspection that allowed him to find a spiritual anchor in the ever-changing city.

「沒有一種樂器像尺八那樣，讓我感受到『禪定』的境界。」

“There is no other instrument that makes me feel the state of ‘Zen’ as the Shakuhachi does.”

2001年，他獲邀於香港中文大學音樂系任教，正式開始將尺八帶入主流音樂教育系統。他不僅傳授技藝，更分享如何在當代生活中實踐這份竹聲的哲學。他也曾應邀於嶺南大學、日本文化協會、新亞研究所、香港大學等院校演講與示範，讓這門音樂不再只是歷史資料，而是今日活生生的藝術體驗。

In 2001, he was invited to teach at the Chinese University of Hong Kong's Music Department, officially integrating the Shakuhachi into the mainstream music education system. He not only imparted technical skills but also shared the philosophy of the bamboo sound as it relates to contemporary life. He was also invited to give lectures and demonstrations at Lingnan University, the Japanese Cultural Association, New Asia College, and Hong Kong University, ensuring that this music was no longer just a historical artifact, but a living art experience.

跨越語言的聲音實驗：從古樂到流行、影像與劇場

A Sound Experiment Across Languages: From Classical Music to Pop, Film, and Theater

千鳥幸生的演奏涵蓋範圍之廣，在亞洲地區可謂少見。他曾與英國作曲家Karl Jenkins、作曲人伍卓賢、指揮鄭汝森等人合作，登上紅館、東京歌劇城、香港藝術中心、澳門音樂廳、銅鑼灣日本料理現場表演等多元場域，曲目從古典本曲到現代配樂、從爵士即興到電影音樂皆有涉獵。

Chidori’s performances cover a broad range rarely seen in Asia. He has collaborated with British composer Karl Jenkins, composer Wu Zhuo Xian, and conductor Cheng Ruishen. His performances have graced iconic venues like the Hong Kong Coliseum, Tokyo Opera City, Hong Kong Arts Centre, Macau Music Hall, and Causeway Bay Japanese restaurants, spanning classical pieces, modern compositions, jazz improvisation, and film scores.

他為張敬軒《HINSIDEOUT》演唱會伴奏成為首位在紅館登台的尺八演奏者；為藝術電影《LOVE INFINITY》作曲，與奧斯卡得主葉錦添與時尚大師Vivienne Westwood攜手合作；為香港國際電影節協會現場配樂30年代日本默片《伊豆舞孃》。他證明尺八不只是靜坐冥想之聲，更可以是當代表演、劇場與視覺藝術中的敘事角色。

He became the first Shakuhachi performer to perform at the Hong Kong Coliseum during Hinsight concert by Hong Kong singer Hins; composed for the art film Love Infinity, collaborating with Oscar-winning director Yip Kam Tim and fashion legend Vivienne Westwood; and performed live film music for the 1930s Japanese silent film Izu Dancers at the Hong Kong International Film Festival. Chidori proves that the Shakuhachi is not just an instrument for quiet meditation but also plays a narrative role in contemporary performance, theater, and visual arts.

將古聲翻譯為當代表達

Translating Ancient Sound into Contemporary Expression

2019年，大師福田輝久授予千鳥氏「師範」稱號與竹號「聖明」，肯定其藝術造詣與推廣貢獻。隨著愈來愈多香港人開始學習尺八，千鳥更進一步踏入創作領域。他於2020年起與環球音樂（Universal Music）簽約，開啟「以尺八為主體」的創作計畫。他表示：「我不只要繼承這門藝術，而是要讓它用新的聲音、新的語境重新被理解。」

In 2019, Shakuhachi master Fukuda Teruhiro bestowed upon Chidori the title of "Shihan" (Master) and the bamboo name "Seimei", recognizing his artistic achievement and contributions to promoting the Shakuhachi. As more people in Hong Kong began to learn the instrument, Chidori ventured further into composition. In 2020, he signed with Universal Music to create a series of works centered on the Shakuhachi. He states: "I don’t just want to inherit this art; I want to reinterpret it with new sounds and new contexts."

他的創作不僅限於日本音樂，亦將尺八與Fusion Jazz、中樂、流行曲甚至電子音樂融合，寫下尺八進入21世紀的文化版圖。

His compositions are not limited to Japanese music; they blend the Shakuhachi with Fusion Jazz, Chinese classical music, pop songs, and even electronic music, charting the course for the Shakuhachi in the 21st century.

「一支竹管，吹出東西之間的呼吸」

“A Bamboo Flute, Breathing Between East and West”

千鳥幸生說：「我沒有出身尺八家族，也非傳統音樂世家。但我願意花一生，讓尺八這件來自古代的樂器，重新在這個世界說話。」

Chidori says: “I don’t come from a Shakuhachi family, nor a traditional musical lineage. But I am willing to dedicate my life to making this ancient instrument speak again in this world.”

他在香港這座快速變動的城市中，選擇了最緩慢的樂器；在多聲道的世界中，選擇了最沉靜的聲音。從一幕黑澤明的電影開始，到千場大小演出之後，他的尺八不只是藝術，而是他對生活最深刻的回應。

In the fast-changing city of Hong Kong, he chose the slowest of instruments; in a world filled with many sounds, he chose the most serene. From a scene in Kurosawa’s film to thousands of performances, his Shakuhachi is not just art; it is his most profound response to life.

作者：范真

香港國際青年藝術家協會副主席、意識流畫派創始人

Author: Chun Fan

Vice Chairman of the Hong Kong International Youth Artists Society, Founder of the Stream of Consciousness