Xie Daxiang

01 · Lineage & Regional School

Xie Daxiang, Male, Han, from Xinfeng, Jiangxi, is a fourth-batch national representative bearer of Lion Dance (Ⅲ-5). The tradition is documented in Xinfeng, Jiangxi. Within the regional tradition and school record of Lion Dance in Xinfeng, Jiangxi: Matshi is transmitted at the Gubei market town and is a form of lion dance exclusive to the local Xie clan; Lishi is transmitted in Liming Village and was created during the Guangxu reign of the Qing dynasty by a peasant of the Li surname, who had seen that the Xie clan of the Gubei market town already had the matshi. The surname 'Xie' is a homophone of 'matshi' and the surname 'Li' is a homophone of 'Lishi', so in the locality these two lion dances became the symbols of these two families. Matshi (the reed-mat lion) and Lishi (the plough lion) are two lion dances of different styles transmitted in Gubei Town, Xinfeng County. Matshi is transmitted at the Gubei market town and is a form of lion dance exclusive to the local Xie clan; Lishi is transmitted in Liming Village and is a form of lion dance created during the Guangxu reign of the Qing dynasty by a peasant of the Li surname, who had seen that the Xie clan of the Gubei market town already had the matshi. The surname 'Xie' is a homophone of 'matshi', and the surname 'Li' is a homophone of 'Lishi', so in the locality the two lion dances became the symbols of these two families. Both are brought out with lanterns during the Spring Festival, they are the core content of the New Year custom dances of the two great surnames of Gubei, and they are also ancient folkloric samples for studying clan relationships and village structure in southern Jiangxi.

02 · Mastery & Signature Works

At the age of thirteen he began learning to make and perform the mat lion under Xie Dechao, a veteran performer of the clan's mat lion. In his youth he chiefly danced the lion's head and was a leading performer of the mat lion. He can make the full set of props for a mat lion performance and is capable of taking several roles in the mat lion dance; his performance is deeply accomplished, his movements powerful, simple and dignified. Because incense sticks are inserted in the mat lion, the performers endure heavy smoke during the dance and need great powers of endurance. Thanks to his efforts the mat lion performance once rose to widespread fame throughout southern Jiangxi. He has carried out transmission activities for the mat lion on many occasions, has taken several dozen disciples, and teaches both the making of the props and the performance itself. Within the documented technical tradition of Lion Dance in Xinfeng, Jiangxi: Matshi and Lishi are two lion dances of different styles transmitted in Gubei Town, Xinfeng County. The frame of the matshi lion body is more than two metres long. It is built up from bamboo strips, covered with a straw mat, and along its outer outline it is tied with coarse straw rope, with incense sticks inserted all over the body. When dancing, three people stand inside the frame and perform under the lead of the lion leader, who wears a cap of incense smoke called 'huihui'. The image of the plough lion is a lion's head on a bull's body, one large and one small; its frame is made of wooden strips, covered with a straw mat, and tied along its outer outline with coarse straw rope, with incense sticks inserted everywhere the rope runs, and with round taro tubers used as the eyes. Seen as a whole it looks like a bull. In performance the incense sticks are lit, and the plough lion moves forward in close cooperation with the bull leader and the plough-holder, led by people holding placards bearing the characters for spring, ox, ploughing and field; behind them three 'incense-fire dragons' follow closely and dance. For a moment the ox ploughs the field and the dragon rolls and turns, presenting a picture of the spring ox ploughing the fields. The movements of the matshi performance are simple and rugged, accompanied by percussion instruments, with a rhythm that is bright and forceful. The plough lion performance centres on simulating the scene of ploughing the field and is strongly imbued with local flavour; besides percussion accompaniment, a suona plays tune patterns similar to those of the Gannan tea-picking opera. Representative repertoire, works and technical entries recorded for the project include: "The mat lion": The mat lion's frame is over two metres long, bound of bamboo, covered with straw matting and roped about, studded with incense sticks; three men stand inside it behind a turbaned leader. "The plough lion": The plough lion has a lion's head on an ox body, in two sizes, framed of wood and covered with matting, roped and studded with incense, its eyes made of round taros so that it resembles an ox. "The incense-capped leader": The fixed leading role in both dances, a figure in an incense cap who goes before and directs the lion carriers. "Ploughing banners and incense dragons": The plough lion works with ox-leader and ploughman behind four bearers of the banners Spring, Ox, Plough and Field, with three incense dragons following, making a picture of spring ploughing.

03 · Transmission & Safeguarding Status

Male, Han ethnicity, born in July 1936, died in May 2019, a native of Xinfeng County, Jiangxi Province. National representative bearer of Lion Dance (Gupi Mat Lion and Plough Lion), a fourth-batch national intangible cultural heritage project.

04 · Associated Heritage Item Dossier

05 · Fellow National Bearers Lineage

National representative bearers recorded under the same item code, ordered from the first to the sixth batch. Batch order is not a teacher–student relationship.

06 · Archival Sources & Bibliography

1. Xie Daxiang · National Representative Bearer Archive