「燄口」為臺灣地區佛教界經常性舉行的施食、超度儀式，儀式的過程與目的為「金剛上師承蒙儲佛菩薩威德，解除餓鬼飢虛，同時為其說法、歸依、受戒，令其具足正見，早日脫離苦海」。其音樂演唱形式與內容則為佛教眾多儀式當中最為豐富且最具獨特性者。在臺灣眾多佛教道場中，佛光山道場體系的燄口儀式音樂演唱形式更是呈現相當的複雜性。燄口儀式音樂的演唱形式，建基於宗教層面意義的「可見的」儀式參與者－「金剛上師」，及其與「不可見的」儀式參與者－「諸佛菩薩」、「餓鬼亡靈」三者間的互動關係。金剛上師透過儀式展演與音聲力量，作為餓鬼與諸佛菩薩溝通的中介者，亦為達成燄口儀式效力的關鍵者。而參與儀式的其他法師（維那、清眾、悅眾）與信眾，則因宗教信仰與民族性的祖先崇拜，藉由跟隨禮拜、音樂唱唸，與他世界「不可見的」參與者，產生意象層面的互動，包括通知、代替「餓鬼亡靈」來參與儀式、禮敬歸依「諸佛菩薩」等。所有儀式參與者之間「施」、「受」與「回報」的三角關係是儀式形成的基礎，透過音樂，作為燄口儀式參與者之間進行禮物交換的媒介，以及音樂展演者及接受者之間的互動，具體展現在「獨唱」、「齊唱」、「答唱」與「對唱」四個主要的演唱形式類別當中。

This research is mainly derived from anthropologist Marcel Mauss’s discussion of “Gift”. During Yankou, the triangular relationship of “giving”, “to receiving” and “returning” between the visible participants (including Vajra Surreme-Master, other masters and disciples), and the invisible participants (including Buddha and Bodhisattva, hungry ghosts and spirits) constituent the foundation of the rite. Music is the intermedium to deliver the “gift” from one participant to another. The interaction between music performers and recipients is specifically shown on four singing forms as “solo”, “unison”, “responsorial” and “antiphonal” in Yankou.The Yankou is a Buddhist rite which is often held in Taiwan. The stated aim of this rite is the liberation of hungry ghosts from their suffering by providing them physical and spiritual nourishment through the power of visualizations and spells. The singing form and content of Yankou may be the most affluent and characteristic ones in the multitudinous rites of Buddhism music. Regarding the Buddhist temples in Taiwan, the singing form of Yankou in Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Temple system may present the certain complexity.