Li Shan
01 · Lineage & Regional School
Li Shan, Male, Han, from Lucheng, Shanxi, is a sixth-batch national representative bearer of Shangdanglaozi (Ⅳ-98). The tradition is documented in Lucheng, Shanxi. Within the regional tradition and school record of Shangdanglaozi in Lucheng, Shanxi: Lucheng Shangdang luozi is popular in Lucheng city, Shanxi, and the villages along the Zhuozhang river; because of the rise of such troupes as the Luhe village Heyi troupe in the Tongzhi reign, its performances spread from Lucheng to Pingshun, Huguan, Zhangzi and Tunliu, forming an early performing network. Shangdang luozi is a local genre circulating in the Shangdang area of Shanxi; it formed in the Daoguang reign of the Qing on the western bank of the Zhuozhang river at the border of Li (Cheng) and Lu (Cheng), where the Licheng variety is also called “Licheng luozi”. Historical records show that in the eighth year of Tongzhi (1869) the Luhe village of Lucheng founded the Heyi troupe to sing luozi, after which troupes were successively set up in Lijiazhuang village, Weizi town, Huangniuti and Xiaochang village, so that Shangdang luozi spread through Lucheng and on into the neighbouring Pingshun, Huguan, Zhangzi and Tunliu. In 1955 the genre was formally named “Shangdang luozi”. As recorded in the Shanxi volume of the Annals of Chinese Xiqu, Shangdang luozi formed in the Daoguang reign at the Li (Cheng)-Lu (Cheng) border and was formally named “Shangdang luozi” in 1955; Lucheng was an early centre of its circulation, the Luhe village founding the Heyi troupe in the eighth year of Tongzhi (1869), after which the neighbouring villages successively formed troupes.
02 · Mastery & Signature Works
The bearer record for Li Shan is anchored in the documented technical standards of Shangdanglaozi in Lucheng, Shanxi. Within the documented technical tradition of Shangdanglaozi in Lucheng, Shanxi: Besides the Shangdang area, Shangdang luozi is also performed in Zuoquan and Yushe in central Shanxi and in Wu'an and She county in Hebei. Its music is in the gong mode, chiefly in the banqiang system with qupai vocal styles secondary. Its most important banqiang ban styles are “liushui”, “qing liushui” and “sanban”, while its qupai styles include “aoban”, “baban” and “suoban”, mostly used for specific purposes and based on four-line sections, finally joined to the “liushui” ban. It sings simply and movingly, naturally and warmly, impassioned and high yet not without lingering grace, with clear rhythm and flowing articulation, able both to narrate and to express feeling, much loved by audiences in its areas of circulation. In its early period Shangdang luozi staged “three-small plays” and “household plays” with only the xiaosheng, xiaodan and xiaochou roles; later it developed a fairly complete range of roles, with one more secondary xusheng than other genres, hence the saying “seven tight, eight habitual, nine easy”. As the repertory changed the roles gained clear divisions of labour and the practice of one actor doubling two roles disappeared. Representative repertoire, works and technical entries recorded for the project include: "Swapping the Crown Prince for a Civet Cat": One of the representative works of Shangdang luozi. "The White-Haired Girl": One of the representative modern plays adapted and staged by Shangdang luozi. "Taking Tiger Mountain by Strategy": One of the representative modern plays adapted and staged by Shangdang luozi.
Swapping the Crown Prince for a Civet Cat
One of the representative works of Shangdang luozi.
The White-Haired Girl
One of the representative modern plays adapted and staged by Shangdang luozi.
Taking Tiger Mountain by Strategy
One of the representative modern plays adapted and staged by Shangdang luozi.
03 · Transmission & Safeguarding Status
In 2025, Li Shan was announced in the sixth batch of national representative bearers for Shangdanglaozi, with Lucheng, Shanxi as the declared area. Within the documented safeguarding record of Shangdanglaozi in Lucheng, Shanxi: The project was inscribed in the national inventory in 2008 (batch 2), with Lucheng, Shanxi as its declared area, and Lucheng Hongqi Luozi Troupe 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
Historical origin
Shangdang luozi is a local genre circulating in the Shangdang area of Shanxi; it formed in the Daoguang reign of the Qing on the western bank of the Zhuozhang river at the border of Li (Cheng) and Lu (Cheng), where the Licheng variety is also called “Licheng luozi”. Historical records show that in the eighth year of Tongzhi (1869) the Luhe village of Lucheng founded the Heyi troupe to sing luozi, after which troupes were successively set up in Lijiazhuang village, Weizi town, Huangniuti and Xiaochang village, so that Shangdang luozi spread through Lucheng and on into the neighbouring Pingshun, Huguan, Zhangzi and Tunliu. In 1955 the genre was formally named “Shangdang luozi”. As recorded in the Shanxi volume of the Annals of Chinese Xiqu, Shangdang luozi formed in the Daoguang reign at the Li (Cheng)-Lu (Cheng) border and was formally named “Shangdang luozi” in 1955; Lucheng was an early centre of its circulation, the Luhe village founding the Heyi troupe in the eighth year of Tongzhi (1869), after which the neighbouring villages successively formed troupes.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Li Xianbao | Licheng, Shanxi | 03-1098 | Other regional school |
| Li Shan | Lucheng, Shanxi | — | 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。