Zhang Yong

01 · Lineage & Regional School

Zhang Yong, Male, Han, from Linfen, Shanxi, is a sixth-batch national representative bearer of Jinnanweifeng Gong and Drum (Ⅱ-56). The tradition is documented in Linfen, Shanxi. Within the regional tradition and school record of Jinnanweifeng Gong and Drum in Linfen, Shanxi: The earliest name of Weifeng gong and drum music was "luogu", popularly called "huojia" (the gear), and it is distributed mainly in the Linfen urban area and in counties such as Huozhou, Hongdong and Fushan. Owing to differences in transmission and in locality, Weifeng gong and drum music has formed two schools, the eastern school and the western school, and common pieces include Qi Pai Zi (Seven Token Pieces), Niu Yao Zi (Ox Loins), Luan Ru Ma (Tangled as Flax), Feng Jiao Xue (Wind Stirring Snow), Yin Niu Si (Silver Twisted Silk) and Dao Chui Lian (Hanging Curtain in Reverse). Weifeng gong and drum music is current in the area of Linfen City, Shanxi Province. Linfen was ancient Yao's capital, generally known as Pingyang, and is one of the birthplaces of the five thousand years of splendid Chinese culture. In former times it was distributed mainly in the Linfen urban area and in counties such as Huozhou, Hongdong and Fushan; its earliest name was "luogu", popularly called "huojia" (the gear). Folk legend relates its origins to the sacrificial traditions of Yao's capital Pingyang; historically it was used for welcoming deities and parading the shrines, for praying for rain and for sacrificial rites, and for cheering troops in battle arrays, and it later gradually developed into the beating of drums in festival competitions.

02 · Mastery & Signature Works

The bearer record for Zhang Yong is anchored in the documented technical standards of Jinnanweifeng Gong and Drum in Linfen, Shanxi. Within the documented technical tradition of Jinnanweifeng Gong and Drum in Linfen, Shanxi: Linfen City was ancient Yao's capital, generally known as Pingyang, and is one of the birthplaces of the five thousand years of splendid Chinese culture. As one category of folk gong and drum art, Weifeng gong and drum music has in Linfen City not only a long historical origin but also a broad popular basis. In the course of its long development, Weifeng gong and drum music drew on the artistic essence of different eras, so that it gradually approached perfection. The performing forms of Weifeng gong and drum music are mainly two: one is shoulder-drum performance, in which in most places of Pingyang a drummer carries a large round drum on the shoulder and plays it while performing; the other is rack-drum performance, a form mainly prevalent in Fushan County, in which the formation changes little and the musicians play while walking as they proceed. Weifeng gong and drum music is a form of percussion art played together by four kinds of instruments, the gong, the drum, the nao and the cymbals; it is rich in content and varied in form, integrating music, dance and skill in one. Representative repertoire, works and technical entries recorded for the project include: "Qi Pai Zi": Owing to differences in transmission and in locality, Weifeng gong and drum music has formed two schools, the eastern school and the western school, and common pieces include Qi Pai Zi (Seven Token Pieces), Niu Yao Zi (Ox Loins), Luan Ru Ma (Tangled as Flax), Feng Jiao Xue (Wind Stirring Snow), Yin Niu Si (Silver Twisted Silk) and Dao Chui Lian (Hanging Curtain in Reverse). "Niu Yao Zi": Owing to differences in transmission and in locality, Weifeng gong and drum music has formed two schools, the eastern school and the western school, and common pieces include Qi Pai Zi (Seven Token Pieces), Niu Yao Zi (Ox Loins), Luan Ru Ma (Tangled as Flax), Feng Jiao Xue (Wind Stirring Snow), Yin Niu Si (Silver Twisted Silk) and Dao Chui Lian (Hanging Curtain in Reverse). "Luan Ru Ma": Owing to differences in transmission and in locality, Weifeng gong and drum music has formed two schools, the eastern school and the western school, and common pieces include Qi Pai Zi (Seven Token Pieces), Niu Yao Zi (Ox Loins), Luan Ru Ma (Tangled as Flax), Feng Jiao Xue (Wind Stirring Snow), Yin Niu Si (Silver Twisted Silk) and Dao Chui Lian (Hanging Curtain in Reverse). "Feng Jiao Xue": Owing to differences in transmission and in locality, Weifeng gong and drum music has formed two schools, the eastern school and the western school, and common pieces include Qi Pai Zi (Seven Token Pieces), Niu Yao Zi (Ox Loins), Luan Ru Ma (Tangled as Flax), Feng Jiao Xue (Wind Stirring Snow), Yin Niu Si (Silver Twisted Silk) and Dao Chui Lian (Hanging Curtain in Reverse).

03 · Transmission & Safeguarding Status

In 2025, Zhang Yong was announced in the sixth batch of national representative bearers for Jinnanweifeng Gong and Drum, with Linfen, Shanxi as the declared area. Within the documented safeguarding record of Jinnanweifeng Gong and Drum in Linfen, Shanxi: The project was inscribed in the national inventory in 2006 (batch 1), with Linfen, Shanxi as its declared area, and Linfen Mass Art 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. Zhangyong (Linfen, Shanxi) · China ICH Official Project Archive
2. Zhangyong · China ICH Official Archive