Xin Shushan
01 · Lineage & Regional School
Xin Shushan, Male, Han, from Shangluo, Shaanxi, is a fifth-batch national representative bearer of Shangluo Flower Drum (Ⅳ-61). The tradition is documented in Shangluo, Shaanxi. Within the regional tradition and school record of Shangluo Flower Drum in Shangluo, Shaanxi: The later flower drum plays gradually came to be sung in the Shangluo dialect and absorbed many Shangluo folk ditties, and in the end formed Shangluo flower drum. Because of the differences in the areas where it is current and in its pronunciation, Shangluo flower drum gradually formed two great schools, the Shangdan road and the Zhenzhi road. The traditional vocal music of Shangluo flower drum has a single structural form and a very old history, and it plays the role of a “living fossil” in the study of the development and evolution of operatic music.
02 · Mastery & Signature Works
A man of Han ethnicity, he was born in September 1941 in Shang County, Shaanxi Province. He is a National Second-Class Composer. In 1955 he was admitted to the Shangluo Opera Troupe, and in 1990 he transferred to the Shangluo City Drama Creation and Research Office, where he worked on the composition and study of Shangluo Huagu music. Over several decades, building on the regional characteristics he inherited, he has continually innovated and developed the genre, bringing its artistic style to ever greater refinement. His representative works as composer number more than thirty, including Bright Moon, The Butcher Becomes Top Scholar, The Six-Jin County Head, Dayun Temple and Clear Spring Water. He has published several papers, including On the Structural Characteristics of Shangluo Huagu Vocal Music, and is the author of the Compendium of Shangluo Huagu Music. Within the documented technical tradition of Shangluo Flower Drum in Shangluo, Shaanxi: Shangluo flower drum is popularly known among the people as huaguzi or dibengzi, and is current in the Shangluo region of Shaanxi Province. In the third year of the Guangxu reign of the Qing dynasty, Yunyang in Hubei was struck by flooding and large numbers of refugees entered the Shangluo region, bringing with them the flower drum opera current in Yunyang. Flower drum of the Shangdan road is also called the northern-route flower drum: it is sung mainly in the Guanzhong group of dialects, mixed with local patois, and its tunes are flowing, beautiful, supple and gentle. Flower drum of the Zhenzhi road is also called the southern-route flower drum: it is sung mainly in the north-western Hubei group of dialects, mixed with local patois, and its tunes are high and resonant, cheerful and bright. Shangluo flower drum is composed of three kinds of tune: huaguzi, bacha zi and datongzi. Huaguzi is performed mainly with folk ditties and is also called xiaodiao xi (small-tune drama); it mostly reflects the labour and love life of the local people, and its representative plays include Beating the Iron, Making Straw Sandals, The Brother Receives the Sister, The Blind Man Feels for His Wife and Jia Jinlian Returns to Henan. Bacha zi is performed with the bacha tunes and is also called bacha xi; it mostly tells romantic stories of young masters and misses. Its tunes are divided into yang bacha and yin bacha; yang bacha is also called hard bacha or big bacha, and yin bacha is also called soft bacha or small bacha; its representative plays include Sitting in the West Tower, Delivering Fragrant Tea, The Little East Tower and The Little Tooth Tower. Datongzi is accompanied by the tongzi huqin and is also called tongzi xi; it belongs to the large and medium-sized plays within flower drum, and mostly presents historical stories, folk tales and myth, with representative plays including Carrying Water over the Blue Bridge, Liu Hai Plays with the Golden Toad, The Record of the Blood Knife, The Picture of Ten Thousand Longevities, Liang Shanbo Visits His Friend, The Fourth Sister Descends to the Mortal World and the Zhengde Emperor Seeks the Worthy. Shangluo flower drum is performed mainly in the form of the “three-small play” (sanxiao xi), in which the xiaosheng, xiaodan and xiaochou are the principal role types; the performance is vivid and lively and rich in folk character. Representative repertoire, works and technical entries recorded for the project include: "Da Tie (Beating the Iron)": Huaguzi is performed mainly with folk ditties and is also called xiaodiao xi (small-tune drama); it mostly reflects the labour and love life of the local people, and its representative plays include Beating the Iron, Making Straw Sandals, The Brother Receives the Sister, The Blind Man Feels for His Wife and Jia Jinlian Returns to Henan. Bacha zi is performed with the bacha tunes and is also called bacha xi; it mostly tells romantic stories of young masters and misses. Its tunes are divided into yang bacha and yin bacha; yang bacha is also called hard bacha or big bacha, and yin bacha is also called soft bacha or small bacha; its representative plays include Sitting in the West Tower, Delivering Fragrant Tea, The Little East Tower and The Little Tooth Tower. Datongzi is accompanied by the tongzi huqin and is also called tongzi xi; it belongs to the large and medium-sized plays within flower drum, and mostly presents historical stories, folk tales and myth, with representative plays including Carrying Water over the Blue Bridge, Liu Hai Plays with the Golden Toad, The Record of the Blood Knife, The Picture of Ten Thousand Longevities, Liang Shanbo Visits His Friend, The Fourth Sister Descends to the Mortal World and the Zhengde Emperor Seeks the Worthy. "Da Caoxie (Making Straw Sandals)": Huaguzi is performed mainly with folk ditties and is also called xiaodiao xi (small-tune drama); it mostly reflects the labour and love life of the local people, and its representative plays include Beating the Iron, Making Straw Sandals, The Brother Receives the Sister, The Blind Man Feels for His Wife and Jia Jinlian Returns to Henan. Bacha zi is performed with the bacha tunes and is also called bacha xi; it mostly tells romantic stories of young masters and misses. Its tunes are divided into yang bacha and yin bacha; yang bacha is also called hard bacha or big bacha, and yin bacha is also called soft bacha or small bacha; its representative plays include Sitting in the West Tower, Delivering Fragrant Tea, The Little East Tower and The Little Tooth Tower. Datongzi is accompanied by the tongzi huqin and is also called tongzi xi; it belongs to the large and medium-sized plays within flower drum, and mostly presents historical stories, folk tales and myth, with representative plays including Carrying Water over the Blue Bridge, Liu Hai Plays with the Golden Toad, The Record of the Blood Knife, The Picture of Ten Thousand Longevities, Liang Shanbo Visits His Friend, The Fourth Sister Descends to the Mortal World and the Zhengde Emperor Seeks the Worthy. "Ge Jiemei (The Brother Receives the Sister)": Huaguzi is performed mainly with folk ditties and is also called xiaodiao xi (small-tune drama); it mostly reflects the labour and love life of the local people, and its representative plays include Beating the Iron, Making Straw Sandals, The Brother Receives the Sister, The Blind Man Feels for His Wife and Jia Jinlian Returns to Henan. Bacha zi is performed with the bacha tunes and is also called bacha xi; it mostly tells romantic stories of young masters and misses. Its tunes are divided into yang bacha and yin bacha; yang bacha is also called hard bacha or big bacha, and yin bacha is also called soft bacha or small bacha; its representative plays include Sitting in the West Tower, Delivering Fragrant Tea, The Little East Tower and The Little Tooth Tower. Datongzi is accompanied by the tongzi huqin and is also called tongzi xi; it belongs to the large and medium-sized plays within flower drum, and mostly presents historical stories, folk tales and myth, with representative plays including Carrying Water over the Blue Bridge, Liu Hai Plays with the Golden Toad, The Record of the Blood Knife, The Picture of Ten Thousand Longevities, Liang Shanbo Visits His Friend, The Fourth Sister Descends to the Mortal World and the Zhengde Emperor Seeks the Worthy. "Xazi Moqi (The Blind Man Feels for His Wife)": Huaguzi is performed mainly with folk ditties and is also called xiaodiao xi (small-tune drama); it mostly reflects the labour and love life of the local people, and its representative plays include Beating the Iron, Making Straw Sandals, The Brother Receives the Sister, The Blind Man Feels for His Wife and Jia Jinlian Returns to Henan. Bacha zi is performed with the bacha tunes and is also called bacha xi; it mostly tells romantic stories of young masters and misses. Its tunes are divided into yang bacha and yin bacha; yang bacha is also called hard bacha or big bacha, and yin bacha is also called soft bacha or small bacha; its representative plays include Sitting in the West Tower, Delivering Fragrant Tea, The Little East Tower and The Little Tooth Tower. Datongzi is accompanied by the tongzi huqin and is also called tongzi xi; it belongs to the large and medium-sized plays within flower drum, and mostly presents historical stories, folk tales and myth, with representative plays including Carrying Water over the Blue Bridge, Liu Hai Plays with the Golden Toad, The Record of the Blood Knife, The Picture of Ten Thousand Longevities, Liang Shanbo Visits His Friend, The Fourth Sister Descends to the Mortal World and the Zhengde Emperor Seeks the Worthy.
Da Tie (Beating the Iron)
Huaguzi is performed mainly with folk ditties and is also called xiaodiao xi (small-tune drama); it mostly reflects the labour and love life of the local people, and its representative plays include Beating the Iron, Making Straw Sandals, The Brother Receives the Sister, The Blind Man Feels for His Wife and Jia Jinlian Returns to Henan. Bacha zi is performed with the bacha tunes and is also called bacha xi; it mostly tells romantic stories of young masters and misses. Its tunes are divided into yang bacha and yin bacha; yang bacha is also called hard bacha or big bacha, and yin bacha is also called soft bacha or small bacha; its representative plays include Sitting in the West Tower, Delivering Fragrant Tea, The Little East Tower and The Little Tooth Tower. Datongzi is accompanied by the tongzi huqin and is also called tongzi xi; it belongs to the large and medium-sized plays within flower drum, and mostly presents historical stories, folk tales and myth, with representative plays including Carrying Water over the Blue Bridge, Liu Hai Plays with the Golden Toad, The Record of the Blood Knife, The Picture of Ten Thousand Longevities, Liang Shanbo Visits His Friend, The Fourth Sister Descends to the Mortal World and the Zhengde Emperor Seeks the Worthy.
Da Caoxie (Making Straw Sandals)
Huaguzi is performed mainly with folk ditties and is also called xiaodiao xi (small-tune drama); it mostly reflects the labour and love life of the local people, and its representative plays include Beating the Iron, Making Straw Sandals, The Brother Receives the Sister, The Blind Man Feels for His Wife and Jia Jinlian Returns to Henan. Bacha zi is performed with the bacha tunes and is also called bacha xi; it mostly tells romantic stories of young masters and misses. Its tunes are divided into yang bacha and yin bacha; yang bacha is also called hard bacha or big bacha, and yin bacha is also called soft bacha or small bacha; its representative plays include Sitting in the West Tower, Delivering Fragrant Tea, The Little East Tower and The Little Tooth Tower. Datongzi is accompanied by the tongzi huqin and is also called tongzi xi; it belongs to the large and medium-sized plays within flower drum, and mostly presents historical stories, folk tales and myth, with representative plays including Carrying Water over the Blue Bridge, Liu Hai Plays with the Golden Toad, The Record of the Blood Knife, The Picture of Ten Thousand Longevities, Liang Shanbo Visits His Friend, The Fourth Sister Descends to the Mortal World and the Zhengde Emperor Seeks the Worthy.
Ge Jiemei (The Brother Receives the Sister)
Huaguzi is performed mainly with folk ditties and is also called xiaodiao xi (small-tune drama); it mostly reflects the labour and love life of the local people, and its representative plays include Beating the Iron, Making Straw Sandals, The Brother Receives the Sister, The Blind Man Feels for His Wife and Jia Jinlian Returns to Henan. Bacha zi is performed with the bacha tunes and is also called bacha xi; it mostly tells romantic stories of young masters and misses. Its tunes are divided into yang bacha and yin bacha; yang bacha is also called hard bacha or big bacha, and yin bacha is also called soft bacha or small bacha; its representative plays include Sitting in the West Tower, Delivering Fragrant Tea, The Little East Tower and The Little Tooth Tower. Datongzi is accompanied by the tongzi huqin and is also called tongzi xi; it belongs to the large and medium-sized plays within flower drum, and mostly presents historical stories, folk tales and myth, with representative plays including Carrying Water over the Blue Bridge, Liu Hai Plays with the Golden Toad, The Record of the Blood Knife, The Picture of Ten Thousand Longevities, Liang Shanbo Visits His Friend, The Fourth Sister Descends to the Mortal World and the Zhengde Emperor Seeks the Worthy.
Xazi Moqi (The Blind Man Feels for His Wife)
Huaguzi is performed mainly with folk ditties and is also called xiaodiao xi (small-tune drama); it mostly reflects the labour and love life of the local people, and its representative plays include Beating the Iron, Making Straw Sandals, The Brother Receives the Sister, The Blind Man Feels for His Wife and Jia Jinlian Returns to Henan. Bacha zi is performed with the bacha tunes and is also called bacha xi; it mostly tells romantic stories of young masters and misses. Its tunes are divided into yang bacha and yin bacha; yang bacha is also called hard bacha or big bacha, and yin bacha is also called soft bacha or small bacha; its representative plays include Sitting in the West Tower, Delivering Fragrant Tea, The Little East Tower and The Little Tooth Tower. Datongzi is accompanied by the tongzi huqin and is also called tongzi xi; it belongs to the large and medium-sized plays within flower drum, and mostly presents historical stories, folk tales and myth, with representative plays including Carrying Water over the Blue Bridge, Liu Hai Plays with the Golden Toad, The Record of the Blood Knife, The Picture of Ten Thousand Longevities, Liang Shanbo Visits His Friend, The Fourth Sister Descends to the Mortal World and the Zhengde Emperor Seeks the Worthy.
03 · Transmission & Safeguarding Status
He is a representative bearer of Shangluo Huagu, a fifth-batch national intangible cultural heritage project. He has received more than twenty awards from bodies including the Ministry of Culture, the Chinese Dramatists Association, the Shaanxi Provincial Department of Culture and the Shangluo Municipal Bureau of Culture.
04 · Associated Heritage Item Dossier
Historical origin
The traditional vocal music of Shangluo flower drum has a single structural form and a very old history, and it plays the role of a “living fossil” in the study of the development and evolution of operatic music.
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.
| Bearer | Declared area | Roster code | Relation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Xin Shushan | Shangluo, Shaanxi | 05-2372 | This page |
06 · Archival Sources & Bibliography
This static English edition is rendered at the edge for search engines, AI crawlers and readers without JavaScript. Compiled from official national representative bearer archival records and the associated project dossier, organized by topic and translated into English. 阅读中文版。