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This is a Koten piece from the Taizan Ha school .

Ho Gyo Koku appears on the following albums:

Album	Shakuhachi	Koto	Shamisen
Koten Shakuhachi Gaku Zen Shu - 3  (Listen)	Takeuchi Chiko
Meianji Shoden Shakuhachi Honkyoku Shu 03  (Listen)	Yoshimura Soshin Fuan
Myoan Sanjunana Sei Tanikita Muchiku Shu - 3  (Listen)	Tanikita Muchiku Roan
Pathway  (Listen)	Herr, Robert
Koku (Empty sky) is one of the three most revered pieces in the honkyoku repertoire. Kyorei (Empty bell) and Mukaiji (Flute on the foggy sea) are the other two of the San Kyorei (Sacred three). These three pieces are very special in that they are said to have been divinely inspired through a dream or vision. This version of Koku named Hokyo Koku (Call of the phoenix in the empty sky) has rarely been heard outside of Japan and is considered an auspicious piece.
Phoenix Crying - Yearning for the Bell Volume 6  (Listen)	Lee, Dr Riley Kelly
Phoenix Crying in the Empty Sky Though the Phoenix is very symbolic in Japan, the important word in this case is 'koku'. Empty Sky is its usual translation. This fails, however, to convey the meaning of the original Chinese characters, which pertain to the Absolute, and which by definition cannot be fathomed by the rational mind. The second character of the word, 'ku' is easy; it means 'sky' or 'air'. The first character 'ko' is not so easy. It refers to a concept that is in the realm of the Absolute and therefore cannot be explained or understood with words. Words, and indeed our thoughts, are of the world of the relative. For example, the word 'empty' has no meaning apart from the word 'full’. The concept of 'full' is implicit in our understanding of the word 'empty'. The word 'ko', on the other hand, does not mean merely 'empty'; because it is not the opposite of 'full'; it is 'that' which has nothing to do with 'fullness'. This "Phoenix" version of Koku is noted for it's melodic feel and the occasional use of unusual modes.