Sacred Messengers: 10 Musical Instruments That Bring Us Closer to the Divine

(Renata Sedmakova/Shutterstock)

Traditionally, music is considered a celebration of the Divine, and musical instruments as the messengers—the sacred tools—relaying the Divine word.

No matter what ethnicity or race, or what part of the world one may be from, everyone seems to understand the feelings that the universal language of music communicates. For instance, in ancient China—ages before the communist regime came into power—scholars and wise men used music to guide people’s emotions in a positive direction and uplift their moral character, bringing them closer to the Lord Creator.

It is interesting to know that the traditional Chinese character for happiness (樂, Lè) is similar to the character for music (樂, Yuè). Also, music and medicine have an integral connection, according to ancient Chinese thought. With calming music known for its healing properties since the early Chinese civilization, the character for “medicine” (藥, Yào) was derived from the word music, with the radical for “grass” or herbs (艹, Cǎo) at the top.

Since the remote past, human beings have been making use of diverse musical instruments—humble or sophisticated—in a myriad of social and cultural contexts. They also serve the sacred role of connecting people to the heavenly realms when they are played with a devout, pious heart; this makes music not only an art form but also a means to spirituality and a way to discover and worship God.

Here are some of the world’s ancient musical instruments and their spiritual connection.

1. Temple Block

(Verock/Shutterstock)

A temple block, or wooden fish. (Gil Toms/Shutterstock)

The temple block, or “muyu” (木魚, wooden fish) in Chinese, is a traditional Chinese percussion instrument often used in Buddhist religious ceremonies. Originally, temple blocks were crafted in the form of a fish with the mouth open, symbolizing the watchfulness of a fish and reminding people to be mindful and awake. Nowadays, they’re also created as a series of rectangular-shaped blocks that are placed in ascending pitch; a wooden mallet is used to strike the blocks to create various tones.

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This instrument is often played in concert alongside the pengling handbells—two identical bells attached with a string—and a metal chime bowl called “Ching;” the three instruments, in harmony, create such a sacred atmosphere that they seem to transport the listener to a remote Buddhist temple.

2. Trumpet

Ceramic trumpet (A.D. 300), Larco Museum Collection Lima, Peru. (Lyndsayruell/CC BY-SA 3.0)

(stockphoto-graf/Shutterstock)

Known for its significant musical presence, the trumpet is not only one of the oldest instruments known to the world but also has been cited several times in the Bible. The Book of Revelation mentions seven trumpets, where the sounding of the first six trumpets signifies the power of repentance for humankind; the seventh trumpet signals the arrival of the Lord Creator and His eternal reign over the human world.

Trumpets of various kinds have been used in warfare as signaling instruments. It is believed that ancient horns made of animal tusks and horns are the forerunners of modern-day trumpets.

3. Bell 

Bronze bell from the 13th century B.C. Shang dynasty, China. (Gary Todd/CC0 1.0)

Buk drum (L) and temple bell at Panjonggak Pavilion of Jikjisa Temple, South Korea. (Stock for you/Shutterstock)

In traditional cultures, the auspicious sound produced by the ringing of a bell—big or small—signifies the beginning and end of an important event.

Both in Eastern and Western culture, bells carry a sacred meaning, and when struck, their sounds connect people with the Divine. In the Buddhist tradition, the sounding of grand bells represents the voice of Buddha—the awakened one. In some Asian religions, it is said that the negative energies are cleared away at the mere sound of temple bells.

4. Erhu

(Duc M/Shutterstock)

With over 4,000 years’ history, the erhu or “Chinese violin“ (二胡, two-stringed fiddle) is a musical instrument that holds an important spot in Chinese music. It is played with the top part of its neck facing upward—or toward the heavens. Its music evokes compassionate feelings in the hearts of the player and listeners alike.

Despite having only two strings, this modest-looking yet expressive instrument conveys a wide range of emotions and can imitate sounds, from the chirping of a bird to the neighing of a horse. It can either be played individually, as a part of an orchestra, or accompanied by singers.

5. Lyre

Ancient Greek vase with muse playing a type of lyre (440–430 B.C.). (Public Domain)

(James Steidl/Shutterstock)

An ancient form of lyre has been mentioned in the Old Testament as the musical instrument of David, who helped King Saul with his music’s divine therapeutic, soothing effect.

The instrument has also been depicted scores of times in ancient Greek art. The legend has it that it was Hermes, the messenger of God, who invented the first lyre from a tortoise shell and reed, and traded it with King Apollo, the god of music, when the latter was furious over him for having stolen cattle from Apollo’s sacred herd.

6. Buk Drum

Monks beating the buk drum at Temple of Reflection on a Smooth Sea, South Korea. (joonghijung/CC BY 2.0)

Traditional Korean buk drum. (wunchana/Shutterstock)

Buk drums have been used in Korean cultural music since ancient times, dating back to the era of the Three Kingdoms of Korea (57 B.C.–A.D. 668). Both sides of the buk drums are traditionally painted with the yin-yang symbol, while the wooden barrel body is colored with vibrant drawings of heavenly dragons.

There are several types of buk drums that were used in both Korean court and folk music. The drums are either played with a wooden stick on one side, or by beating the left side with a bare left hand and the right side with a stick.

7. Shakuhachi

(Denzenuch/Shutterstock)

Shakuhachi, the traditional Japanese bamboo flute. (Public Domain)

The shakuhachi is a traditional Japanese end-blow flute that is usually made from the root of the bamboo. Originally used for meditative purposes, shakuhachi music was linked to personal spiritual enlightenment rather than public performances. However, now it is also played in musical concerts.

According to Tai Hei Shakuhachi, this traditional musical instrument is capable of producing “many voices of nature,” varying from gentle summer rain to gusty autumn breeze blowing through bamboo forests to the shrill cry of a wild duck to an early spring runoff feeding a quiet mountain lake.

8. Shankh

Conch shell or shankh. (Sanjeev Kumar Sanju/Shutterstock)

Carved shankh from North-East India, 11th–12th century. (Jean-Pierre Dalbéra/CC BY 2.0)

A wind instrument that is made of the conch shell, the shankh, plays a very important role in Indian religious ceremonies. In Indian culture, shankh signifies the might of gods and the triumph of good over evil.

It is also believed that the auspicious sound created with the blowing of the shankh has the potential to destroy evil and sin. The modest-looking shankh was a key instrument once used in ancient India as a war trumpet.

9. Oud

(Metropolitan Museum of Art/CC0 1.0)

The oud is a prominent Arabic instrument that is helping keep ancient traditions alive. It is a fretless stringed instrument with a short neck and pear-shaped body. It has played a significant role in Arabic culture and has appeared in many historic studies.

According to Nazih Ghadban, a retired professor from Lebanon who handcrafts the instrument, its origins date back to 5,000 years ago. “The oud was always there, it witnesses all events; ups and downs in the Arabic culture and that is why it is mentioned in many historic books,” Ghadban told The Epoch Times in a previous interview.

10. Mridangam

Traditional Indian drum, the mridangam. (krugloff/Shutterstock)

The mridangam (“clay body” in Sanskrit) is a double-sided drum that is played with the fingers and both palms of the hands. In some parts of India, it is also considered an instrument of the gods.

Originally, it was created from clay, but now it is made from a single block of wood. The exact origin of the mridangam is unknown; however, it is seen in several ancient architectures and paintings. In ancient Southern India, the mridangam was one of the main percussion instruments that announced the beginning of the war, as it was thought that its holy sound would shield the King and his army.

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