Jin Shengchang

01 · Lineage & Regional School

Jin Shengchang, Male, Han, from Qinghai, is a fourth-batch national representative bearer of Shadow Puppetry (Ⅳ-91). The tradition is documented in Qinghai. Within the regional tradition and school record of Shadow Puppetry in Qinghai: Hehuang shadow puppetry is also called “Qinghai shadow puppetry”, known locally as “yingzi” or “piying'er”, and circulates mainly in eastern Qinghai, with a few troupes also in the Han-populated areas of the ethnic autonomous prefectures. After the 1990s Hehuang shadow puppetry gradually declined, its troupes falling sharply to less than a fifth of the former number and its range of activity retreating from the central areas to remote mountain districts.

02 · Mastery & Signature Works

From childhood he loved pingshu storytelling and lantern-shadow plays, and he studied shadow-puppet singing and performance under Yang Shenghui. For many years he performed actively in villages; he commanded a large repertory, his singing was delicate and gently modulated, and he was much loved and welcomed by audiences. From 1978 onward he created works including Xiao Yang he Lang (The Lamb and the Wolf), Shuohuang de Haizi (The Lying Child), Huangshuliang Bai Nian (The Weasel Pays a New Year Call) and Dongguo Xiansheng (Master Dongguo). Within the documented technical tradition of Shadow Puppetry in Qinghai: Hehuang shadow puppetry has a history of about two hundred years and has formed certain inherent features in its long development. It has an independent and mature banqiang-system vocal system, dedicated xiansuo music qupai and percussion qupai, its singing not interchangeable with other local genres. Its figures are distinctively designed and rich and lifelike in image, made of eleven parts, mainly divided into the “shaozi” (head) and the body, the head joined to the headdress and the body, limbs and costume joined together. A shadow troupe consists of five people: one operator (bashi) works the sheng, dan, jing and chou roles and also sings, while the other four are musicians responsible for all the civil and martial accompaniment. Representative repertoire, works and technical entries recorded for the project include: "The Banqiang Vocal System and Xiansuo Qupai": Hehuang shadow puppetry has an independent and mature banqiang-system vocal system with dedicated xiansuo music qupai and percussion qupai, its singing not interchangeable with other local genres. "The Eleven-Part Figure Modelling": Hehuang shadow figures are made of eleven parts, mainly divided into the head and the body, the head joined to the headdress and the body, limbs and costume joined together. "Yuanmen Zhan Zi (Executing the Son at the Camp Gate)": A work performed by the inheritor Zhou Banghui, which won a gold performance award at the Qinghai ethnic folk craft and art exhibition. "Newly Created Plays such as The Lamb and the Wolf": Works created since 1978 by the inheritor Jin Shengchang, including The Lamb and the Wolf, The Lying Child, The Weasel Pays a New Year Call and Mr Dongguo.

03 · Transmission & Safeguarding Status

Male, Han ethnicity, born in April 1931 and deceased in December 2011, a native of Huzhu Tu Autonomous County, Qinghai Province. National representative bearer of Shadow Puppetry (Hehuang Shadow Puppetry), a fourth-batch national intangible cultural heritage project. He trained shadow-puppet artists including Shi Zhancai, Jin Yongyi, Jin Yonghong, Jin Yongxing and Zhou Banghui.

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. Jin Shengchang · National Representative Bearer Archive