Huang Zhiyuan

01 · Lineage & Regional School

Huang Zhiyuan, Male, Zhuang, from Guangxi, is a sixth-batch national representative bearer of Zhuangju Opera (Ⅳ-82). The tradition is documented in Guangxi. Within the regional tradition and school record of Zhuangju Opera in Guangxi: In former times the Zhuang people called themselves “butuo”, meaning “natives” or “local people”, and called their opera “changtuo”, that is “native drama”, in order to distinguish it from the operatic genres of the Han Chinese. Zhuang opera, also called “Zhuang xi”, developed on the basis of the folk literature, the song and dance and the narrative-singing skills of the Zhuang people. In former times the Zhuang called themselves “butuo”, meaning “natives” or “local people”, and called their opera “changtuo”, that is “native drama”, in order to distinguish it from the operatic genres of the Han Chinese. Because of differences in regional setting, dialect and vernacular, music and vocal style, performance style and accompanying instruments, Zhuang opera has produced such branches as the northern-road Zhuang opera and the southern-road Zhuang opera of Guangxi, the Zhuang shigong opera (Zhuang shidrama) and, in Yunnan, the Funing Zhuang opera and the Guangnan Zhuang opera; and it has become a bridge of ethnic cultural exchange in the region of Southeast Asia.

02 · Mastery & Signature Works

The bearer record for Huang Zhiyuan is anchored in the documented technical standards of Zhuangju Opera in Guangxi. Within the documented technical tradition of Zhuangju Opera in Guangxi: Zhuang opera, also called “Zhuang xi”, developed on the basis of the folk literature, the song and dance and the narrative-singing skills of the Zhuang people. Because of differences in regional setting, dialect and vernacular, music and vocal style, performance style and accompanying instruments, Zhuang opera has produced such branches as the northern-road Zhuang opera and the southern-road Zhuang opera of Guangxi, the Zhuang shigong opera (also called Zhuang shidrama), and, in Yunnan, the Funing Zhuang opera and the Guangnan Zhuang opera. The northern-road Zhuang opera of Guangxi circulates in the areas where the northern dialect of Zhuang is spoken, and is accompanied by such instruments as the maguhu (horse-bone fiddle), the hullehu (gourd fiddle) and the yueqin. Its vocal styles include chiefly the zhengdiao, the pingdiao, the buyadiao, the maochaodiao, the maban, the henban, the kudiao and the aidiao; some role types have their own fixed vocal styles, and its plays include Buya, Wenlong and Xiaoni, and Liu Erda Fangu. The southern-road Zhuang opera of Guangxi includes the Zhuang string-puppet opera and the Ma'ai Zhuang opera, and circulates in the areas where the southern dialect of Zhuang is spoken, accompanied by such instruments as the qinghu, the houhu and the small sanxian. Its vocal styles include the pingban, the tandiao, the caihua, the xidiao, the kuaixidiao, the gaoqiang, the kudiao, the handiao and the shidiao, and chorus response (bangqiang) is used in the running of the vocal line; its plays include Baohulu and Bainiaoyi. The Zhuang shigong opera grew out of the sacrificial song-and-dance entertainment of the gods in the Zhuang folk shigong religion, and is transmitted in such places as Hechi, Liuzhou and Baise in Guangxi. In performance the actors at first wore red garments and wooden masks, and later changed to stage makeup and costumes; accompaniment is by the fenggu (bee drum), gong, cymbals and the membraneless flute, and its plays include Mo Yi the Great King and the White Horse Girl. The Funing Zhuang opera and the Guangnan Zhuang opera current in Yunnan have been considerably influenced by the local operatic genres of the Han Chinese and have features of their own. Zhuang opera is rooted in the soil of the nation's own life. It is a genre of long history and distinctive character created by the Zhuang people, and a bridge of ethnic cultural exchange in the region of Southeast Asia. Representative repertoire, works and technical entries recorded for the project include: "Buya": The northern-road Zhuang opera of Guangxi circulates in the areas where the northern dialect of Zhuang is spoken, and is accompanied by such instruments as the maguhu (horse-bone fiddle), the hullehu (gourd fiddle) and the yueqin. Its vocal styles include chiefly the zhengdiao, the pingdiao, the buyadiao, the maochaodiao, the maban, the henban, the kudiao and the aidiao; some role types have their own fixed vocal styles, and its plays include Buya, Wenlong and Xiaoni, and Liu Erda Fangu. The southern-road Zhuang opera of Guangxi includes the Zhuang string-puppet opera and the Ma'ai Zhuang opera, and circulates in the areas where the southern dialect of Zhuang is spoken, accompanied by such instruments as the qinghu, the houhu and the small sanxian. Its vocal styles include the pingban, the tandiao, the caihua, the xidiao, the kuaixidiao, the gaoqiang, the kudiao, the handiao and the shidiao, and chorus response (bangqiang) is used in the running of the vocal line; its plays include Baohulu and Bainiaoyi. The Zhuang shigong opera grew out of the sacrificial song-and-dance entertainment of the gods in the Zhuang folk shigong religion, and is transmitted in such places as Hechi, Liuzhou and Baise in Guangxi. In performance the actors at first wore red garments and wooden masks, and later changed to stage makeup and costumes; accompaniment is by the fenggu (bee drum), gong, cymbals and the membraneless flute, and its plays include Mo Yi the Great King and the White Horse Girl. The Funing Zhuang opera and the Guangnan Zhuang opera current in Yunnan have been considerably influenced by the local operatic genres of the Han Chinese and have features of their own. "Wenlong and Xiaoni": The northern-road Zhuang opera of Guangxi circulates in the areas where the northern dialect of Zhuang is spoken, and is accompanied by such instruments as the maguhu (horse-bone fiddle), the hullehu (gourd fiddle) and the yueqin. Its vocal styles include chiefly the zhengdiao, the pingdiao, the buyadiao, the maochaodiao, the maban, the henban, the kudiao and the aidiao; some role types have their own fixed vocal styles, and its plays include Buya, Wenlong and Xiaoni, and Liu Erda Fangu. The southern-road Zhuang opera of Guangxi includes the Zhuang string-puppet opera and the Ma'ai Zhuang opera, and circulates in the areas where the southern dialect of Zhuang is spoken, accompanied by such instruments as the qinghu, the houhu and the small sanxian. Its vocal styles include the pingban, the tandiao, the caihua, the xidiao, the kuaixidiao, the gaoqiang, the kudiao, the handiao and the shidiao, and chorus response (bangqiang) is used in the running of the vocal line; its plays include Baohulu and Bainiaoyi. The Zhuang shigong opera grew out of the sacrificial song-and-dance entertainment of the gods in the Zhuang folk shigong religion, and is transmitted in such places as Hechi, Liuzhou and Baise in Guangxi. In performance the actors at first wore red garments and wooden masks, and later changed to stage makeup and costumes; accompaniment is by the fenggu (bee drum), gong, cymbals and the membraneless flute, and its plays include Mo Yi the Great King and the White Horse Girl. The Funing Zhuang opera and the Guangnan Zhuang opera current in Yunnan have been considerably influenced by the local operatic genres of the Han Chinese and have features of their own. "Liu Erda Fangu (Liu Er Beats the Foreign Devils)": The northern-road Zhuang opera of Guangxi circulates in the areas where the northern dialect of Zhuang is spoken, and is accompanied by such instruments as the maguhu (horse-bone fiddle), the hullehu (gourd fiddle) and the yueqin. Its vocal styles include chiefly the zhengdiao, the pingdiao, the buyadiao, the maochaodiao, the maban, the henban, the kudiao and the aidiao; some role types have their own fixed vocal styles, and its plays include Buya, Wenlong and Xiaoni, and Liu Erda Fangu. The southern-road Zhuang opera of Guangxi includes the Zhuang string-puppet opera and the Ma'ai Zhuang opera, and circulates in the areas where the southern dialect of Zhuang is spoken, accompanied by such instruments as the qinghu, the houhu and the small sanxian. Its vocal styles include the pingban, the tandiao, the caihua, the xidiao, the kuaixidiao, the gaoqiang, the kudiao, the handiao and the shidiao, and chorus response (bangqiang) is used in the running of the vocal line; its plays include Baohulu and Bainiaoyi. The Zhuang shigong opera grew out of the sacrificial song-and-dance entertainment of the gods in the Zhuang folk shigong religion, and is transmitted in such places as Hechi, Liuzhou and Baise in Guangxi. In performance the actors at first wore red garments and wooden masks, and later changed to stage makeup and costumes; accompaniment is by the fenggu (bee drum), gong, cymbals and the membraneless flute, and its plays include Mo Yi the Great King and the White Horse Girl. The Funing Zhuang opera and the Guangnan Zhuang opera current in Yunnan have been considerably influenced by the local operatic genres of the Han Chinese and have features of their own. "Baohulu (The Precious Gourd)": The northern-road Zhuang opera of Guangxi circulates in the areas where the northern dialect of Zhuang is spoken, and is accompanied by such instruments as the maguhu (horse-bone fiddle), the hullehu (gourd fiddle) and the yueqin. Its vocal styles include chiefly the zhengdiao, the pingdiao, the buyadiao, the maochaodiao, the maban, the henban, the kudiao and the aidiao; some role types have their own fixed vocal styles, and its plays include Buya, Wenlong and Xiaoni, and Liu Erda Fangu. The southern-road Zhuang opera of Guangxi includes the Zhuang string-puppet opera and the Ma'ai Zhuang opera, and circulates in the areas where the southern dialect of Zhuang is spoken, accompanied by such instruments as the qinghu, the houhu and the small sanxian. Its vocal styles include the pingban, the tandiao, the caihua, the xidiao, the kuaixidiao, the gaoqiang, the kudiao, the handiao and the shidiao, and chorus response (bangqiang) is used in the running of the vocal line; its plays include Baohulu and Bainiaoyi. The Zhuang shigong opera grew out of the sacrificial song-and-dance entertainment of the gods in the Zhuang folk shigong religion, and is transmitted in such places as Hechi, Liuzhou and Baise in Guangxi. In performance the actors at first wore red garments and wooden masks, and later changed to stage makeup and costumes; accompaniment is by the fenggu (bee drum), gong, cymbals and the membraneless flute, and its plays include Mo Yi the Great King and the White Horse Girl. The Funing Zhuang opera and the Guangnan Zhuang opera current in Yunnan have been considerably influenced by the local operatic genres of the Han Chinese and have features of their own.

03 · Transmission & Safeguarding Status

In 2025, Huang Zhiyuan was announced in the sixth batch of national representative bearers for Zhuangju Opera, with Guangxi as the declared area. Within the documented safeguarding record of Zhuangju Opera in Guangxi: The project was inscribed in the national inventory in 2006 (batch 1), with Guangxi as its declared area, and Guangxi Xi Theatre 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. Huangzhiyuan (Guangxi) · China ICH Official Project Archive
2. Huangzhiyuan · China ICH Official Archive