He Zhican

01 · Lineage & Regional School

He Zhican, Male, Han, from Liangping, Chongqing, is a sixth-batch national representative bearer of Liangping Laizi Gong and Drum (Ⅱ-53). The tradition is documented in Liangping, Chongqing. Within the regional tradition and school record of Liangping Laizi Gong and Drum in Liangping, Chongqing: Liangping laizi gong and drum music is current within Liangping County of Chongqing Municipality; according to the Zhuzhi Ci (Bamboo Branch Songs) written by the Qing-dynasty local literatus Lan Yiqing, it was already widely spread around the transition between the Ming and Qing dynasties. Its pieces are called "luogu yinzi" (gong-and-drum lead-ins), of which the lead-in of the "eighteen laizi" gong and drum set is representative, and there are also "lao laizi", "hua laizi", "yuan yang laizi", "diao laizi", "gan laizi", "zhong hulu" and "nanshan wang"; the instruments are six in number, the two drums, the horse gong, the cymbals, the large gong, the hook gong and the small cymbals, and the band consists of five people, the player of the horse gong also playing the hook gong. In performance eighteen sections are played in one breath, three sections forming a group and six groups in all, each group containing one section each beginning with the horse gong, the cymbals and the large gong; on this basis more than a hundred gong-and-drum lead-ins were further developed, including "Jin Yin Deng", "Jin Yin Hua" and "Hong Xiu Xie". Liangping laizi gong and drum music is a form of folk instrumental music transmitted within Liangping County of Chongqing Municipality; the date of its origin can no longer be traced. According to the Zhuzhi Ci (Bamboo Branch Songs) written by the Qing-dynasty local literatus Lan Yiqing of that county, Liangping laizi gong and drum music was already widely current around the transition between the Ming and Qing dynasties.

02 · Mastery & Signature Works

The bearer record for He Zhican is anchored in the documented technical standards of Liangping Laizi Gong and Drum in Liangping, Chongqing. Within the documented technical tradition of Liangping Laizi Gong and Drum in Liangping, Chongqing: The pieces of Liangping laizi gong and drum music are called "luogu yinzi" (gong-and-drum lead-ins), of which the lead-in of the "eighteen laizi" gong and drum set is representative. The principal ones are "lao laizi", "hua laizi", "yuan yang laizi", "diao laizi", "gan laizi", "zhong hulu" (double gourd) and "nanshan wang" (South Mountain Net). Among them, the principal pieces of the eighteen laizi include Lao Lai Zi, Lao Lai Zi (variant form) and Hua Lai Zi. The pieces commonly used at the beginning and the end are Jin Yin Deng (Golden and Silver Lantern), Zhan Ling Zhi (Fighting the Lingzhi Fungus) and Ji Wei Zi (Hurried Ending). In the course of a performance, eighteen sections must be played in one breath, three sections forming a group, six groups in all. Each group must contain one section beginning with the horse gong, one beginning with the cymbals and one beginning with the large gong. On this basis it further developed into more than a hundred gong-and-drum lead-ins, including "Jin Yin Deng", "Jin Yin Hua" and "Hong Xiu Xie". The instruments of Liangping laizi gong and drum music are six in number: the two drums, the horse gong, the cymbals, the large gong, the hook gong and the small cymbals; the band consists of five people, and the player of the horse gong also plays the hook gong. Liangping laizi gong and drum music is characterised by a resonant sound, a lively atmosphere, a rising and falling melodic contour and lingering interest, and is often performed at folk occasions such as festival gatherings, opening celebrations, birthday rites, weddings and funerals, and is deeply loved by the people. In this situation, Liangping laizi gong and drum music is on the verge of extinction. Representative repertoire, works and technical entries recorded for the project include: "Lao Lai Zi": Among them, the principal pieces of the eighteen laizi include Lao Lai Zi, Lao Lai Zi (variant form) and Hua Lai Zi. "Lao Lai Zi (variant form)": Among them, the principal pieces of the eighteen laizi include Lao Lai Zi, Lao Lai Zi (variant form) and Hua Lai Zi. "Hua Lai Zi": Among them, the principal pieces of the eighteen laizi include Lao Lai Zi, Lao Lai Zi (variant form) and Hua Lai Zi. "Jin Yin Deng": The pieces commonly used at the beginning and the end are Jin Yin Deng (Golden and Silver Lantern), Zhan Ling Zhi (Fighting the Lingzhi Fungus) and Ji Wei Zi (Hurried Ending).

03 · Transmission & Safeguarding Status

In 2025, He Zhican was announced in the sixth batch of national representative bearers for Liangping Laizi Gong and Drum, with Liangping, Chongqing as the declared area. Within the documented safeguarding record of Liangping Laizi Gong and Drum in Liangping, Chongqing: The project was inscribed in the national inventory in 2006 (batch 1), with Liangping, Chongqing as its declared area, and Chongqing Liangping District Cultural Heritage Safeguarding Center as its safeguarding unit. Since the project was inscribed in the national inventory, its declared area and safeguarding unit have carried out documentation, transmission and presentation within the national safeguarding framework. Together, the inventory record and the project archive form the public documentary basis for the bearer’s transmission practice.

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. Hezhican (Liangping, Chongqing) · China ICH Official Project Archive
2. Hezhican · China ICH Official Archive