Wang Zhenyi

01 · Lineage & Regional School

Wang Zhenyi, Male, Han, from Cang, Hebei, is a fifth-batch national representative bearer of Muban Dagu Drum Balladry (Ⅴ-7). The tradition is documented in Cang, Hebei. Within the regional tradition and school record of Muban Dagu Drum Balladry in Cang, Hebei: Muban dagu developed with distinctive character in the Cangzhou area, where two branches appeared, those of Wang Fuzhen and Mu Hanqing; because of his great influence Wang Fuzhen was given the nickname 'Cangzhou Red'. Muban dagu (wooden-board drum balladry) is traditionally said to have formed in the Qianlong reign of the Qing dynasty. Its well-known performers include Li Wentong (Li Shangzhi), Cao Zhankui, Li Diankui, Zhang Baikui, Deng Liankui, Li Zhenkui, Ma Ruihe, Ma Ruilin, Zhu Hualin, Pang Fengcheng, Hu Jinxiang, Cao Jinsheng and He Guihai, of whom Ma Ruihe ('Ma the Madman'), Zhu Hualin ('Zhu the Great Official') and Pang Fengcheng exerted the greatest influence and contributed the most. Since the beginning of the 21st century, the transmission and development of Muban dagu has fallen into a predicament.

02 · Mastery & Signature Works

Male, Han ethnicity, born in March 1943 in Cang County, Hebei Province. His stage name is Wang Yinjie; he entered the profession at sixteen and first appeared on stage at eighteen. In 1963 he joined the Cang County quyi troupe and became its leader in 1972, leading the troupe into towns and villages to perform throughout the year and travelling repeatedly to Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai and Northeast China for exchange and festival performances. His stage manner is free and elegant, his characterization finely detailed, capturing both outward form and inner spirit. His principal works include short pieces such as Luo Cheng Mai Ma (Luo Cheng Buys a Horse), Xiao Liangkou Fen Jia (The Young Couple Divide the Household) and Quan Shan Yanyu (Sayings Urging Virtue), and long narratives such as Hu Jia Jiang (The Generals of the Hu Family), Yang Jia Jiang (The Generals of the Yang Family) and Xiangma Zhuan (Tales of the Bandit Riders). Since 2007 he has taught apprentices and transmitted his art at the Cangzhou Muban Dagu teaching institute. Within the documented technical tradition of Muban Dagu Drum Balladry in Cang, Hebei: Muban dagu is a form of quyi drum balladry circulated over most of Hebei Province, and it also goes under the names xiaokou dagu, qingkou dagu, meihua diao, lao muban zi, lao beikou muban, qie dagu, gu peng xian'er, xianzi gu'er, muban Xihe diao and bie si niu ('choking the ox'). In performance one performer holds a wooden board in the left hand and a drumstick in the right, and while standing to narrate and sing alternates the strokes of board and story drum so that they match the recitation and the singing; another person holds the sanxian and plays it alone as the accompaniment. The traditional repertoire of Muban dagu is extremely rich. Short pieces number more than a hundred, such as The Mouse Accuses the Cat (Laoshu Gao Mao), Quanren Fang (Admonishing People), Du Linying, Guo Ju Buries His Son (Guo Ju Mai Er), Mulian Rescues His Mother (Mulian Jiu Mu) and Zhao Wuniang; medium-length works number more than a hundred, such as The Second Plum Blossom (Erdu Mei), The Tale of the Mounted Robbers (Xiangma Zhuan), The Tale of Wu Song (Wusong Zhuan), The Thousand-Li Steed (Qianliju), The Golden Ring Chronicle (Jinhuan Ji) and Judge Jiang's Case (Jiang Gong'an); long works include the 'Five Spring and Autumn' tales — the Spring and Autumn Annals of the Zuo Tradition (Zuo Zhuan Chunqiu), the Spring and Autumn of Wu and Yue (Wuyue Chunqiu), the Spring and Autumn of Heroes and Martyrs (Yinglie Chunqiu), The Spring and Autumn of Zou Ma (Zouma Chunqiu) and The Spring and Autumn in the Golden Casket (Jinhe Chunqiu) — as well as the 'three generals and three cases' formed by the Xue, Yang and Hu families together with the cases of Lord Bao, Lord Liu and Lord Hai, and dozens of other long works such as The Flying Dragon (Feilong Zhuan) and Ma Qianlong's Journey Through the Realm (Ma Qianlong Zouguo). Its vocal music belongs to the banqiang (clapper-metre) system; its tunes are plain and distinctive, rugged and sonorous. It has exercised, to differing degrees, an influence on the formation and development of many drum ballads and drum tunes in the north such as Xihe dagu, Jingyun dagu, Jingdong dagu, Leting dagu and zhuban shu, and it possesses highly distinctive artistic value. Only eight well-known folk performers of Muban dagu remain, and the youngest of them is already 57 years old, so its prospects are highly worrying. Representative repertoire, works and technical entries recorded for the project include: "The Wang and Mu branches": Cangzhou produced two branches of the genre, led by Wang Fuzhen, nicknamed Cangzhou Red, and Mu Hanqing. "The five Spring and Autumn tales": Five long tales of the Spring and Autumn period that, with the three generals and three cases, form the backbone of the long repertoire. "Three generals, three cases": The Xue, Yang and Hu family generals alongside the cases of Lord Bao, Lord Liu and Lord Hai, with dozens more long works. "Boards and drumstick": The singer strikes wooden boards with the left hand and a drum with the right while narrating, accompanied by a sanxian.

03 · Transmission & Safeguarding Status

He is a national representative bearer of Muban Dagu Drum Balladry, a fifth-batch national intangible cultural heritage project. He has taken part many times in national, provincial and municipal quyi competitions, winning numerous awards and honours.

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. Wang Zhenyi · National Representative Bearer Archive