Huang Juzhi

01 · Lineage & Regional School

Huang Juzhi, Female, Han, from Xingzi, Jiangxi, is a sixth-batch national representative bearer of Xihe Opera (Ⅳ-145). The tradition is documented in Xingzi, Jiangxi. Within the regional tradition and school record of Xihe Opera in Xingzi, Jiangxi: Xihe opera is also called 'tanqiang daxi' and is popularly known as 'xingzi daxi'. Because the place where it arose, Xingzi County, lies in the valley of the Xihe River in the lower reaches of the Gan River, it was named 'Xihe opera' in 1982. It formed during the Daoguang to Xianfeng reigns of the Qing dynasty and circulated in Xingzi, De'an, Jiujiang, Duchang, Yongxiu and other counties of northern Jiangxi Province; its vocal system is chiefly the metrical system, made up of xipi, gaoqiang, yugu, mountain songs and folk minor tunes, with melodies that are high-pitched and uninhibited, deep and plain. Locally, the Xihe opera promotion association and the amateur troupes around Xingzi serve as the main vehicles of its activity. Xihe opera is also called 'tanqiang daxi' (great metrical play) and is popularly known as 'xingzi daxi'. Because the place where it arose, Xingzi County, lies in the valley of the Xihe River in the lower reaches of the Gan River, it was named 'Xihe opera' in 1982. Xihe opera formed during the Daoguang to Xianfeng reigns of the Qing dynasty and circulated in Xingzi, De'an, Jiujiang, Duchang, Yongxiu and other counties of northern Jiangxi Province.

02 · Mastery & Signature Works

The bearer record for Huang Juzhi is anchored in the documented technical standards of Xihe Opera in Xingzi, Jiangxi. Within the documented technical tradition of Xihe Opera in Xingzi, Jiangxi: The vocal system of Xihe opera is chiefly the metrical system (banqiangti), made up of xipi, gaoqiang, yugu, mountain songs and folk minor tunes; the melodies are high-pitched and uninhibited, deep and plain. The traditional role types of Xihe opera are the 'ten great feet', namely: yi mo (first mo), er jing (second jing), san sheng (third sheng), si dan (fourth dan), wu lao (fifth lao), liu wai (sixth wai), qi chou (seventh chou), ba tie (eighth tie), jiu xiao (ninth xiao) and shi za (tenth za). Xihe opera divides the use of the voice into three kinds: the sheng and chou roles sing in the 'natural tone'; the dan and small sheng roles use the 'side tone', the last sound of each sung phrase being drawn out in the falsetto; the jing role uses the 'edge tone', makes distinctive use of 'interloping with the local dialect', and adds a large quantity of interjections. The traditional accompanying instrument of Xihe opera is also rather distinctive, the small-tube qin (xitong qin). The performance of Xihe opera is plain and bold, and it has many conventional formats; for instance when a character comes on stage there are such types as 'standing on the way' (zhiandao), 'striding through the stage door' (kuamendao) and 'announcing the descent onto the stage' (dianjiangdao). Its performance movements fall into four large sets, namely the 'eight great post-gates' (Badia Zhuangmen), the 'ten great hand methods' (Shida Shoufa), the 'six great waist forms' (Liuda Yaoshi) and the 'thirteen great step patterns' (Shisan San Dufa). There are also many complete sets of movements, such as 'raising the mane' (qiba), 'the falling-painting posture' (die huashi), 'opening the four gates' (kai simen), 'preparing the horse' (beima) and 'washing the horse' (xima). Martial display comprises 'mutual killing' (xiangsha), 'striking and grappling' (da boshou), 'whipping the knot' (da niujie), 'wielding the sabre' (shu dao), 'wielding the spear' (shu qiang), 'wielding the sword' (shu jian), 'practising boxing' (shuiquan), 'comparing six-linked spears' (bi liuhe qiang), 'comparing six-linked sabres' (bi liuhe dao), 'comparing the staff' (bi gun), 'comparing the whip' (bi jian) and 'comparing twin swords' (bi shuangjian). The traditional plays of Xihe opera are mostly historical robe-and-belt plays; The Register of the Upright Official (Qingguan Ce), Crossing Zhaoguan (Guo Zhaoguan), Three Passes Summon the Generals (Sanguan Diao Jiang), White Tiger Pass (Baihu Guan), Second Entry into the Palace (Erjingong), Xu Ce's Run Round the City (Xu Ce Paocheng), The Son Refused in the Second Hall (Ertang Shezi) and Full-House Happiness (Mantang Fu) are performed fairly often. Representative repertoire, works and technical entries recorded for the project include: "The Register of the Upright Official": The traditional plays of Xihe opera are mostly historical robe-and-belt plays; The Register of the Upright Official (Qingguan Ce), Crossing Zhaoguan (Guo Zhaoguan), Three Passes Summon the Generals (Sanguan Diao Jiang), White Tiger Pass (Baihu Guan), Second Entry into the Palace (Erjingong), Xu Ce's Run Round the City (Xu Ce Paocheng), The Son Refused in the Second Hall (Ertang Shezi) and Full-House Happiness (Mantang Fu) are performed fairly often. "Crossing Zhaoguan": The traditional plays of Xihe opera are mostly historical robe-and-belt plays; The Register of the Upright Official (Qingguan Ce), Crossing Zhaoguan (Guo Zhaoguan), Three Passes Summon the Generals (Sanguan Diao Jiang), White Tiger Pass (Baihu Guan), Second Entry into the Palace (Erjingong), Xu Ce's Run Round the City (Xu Ce Paocheng), The Son Refused in the Second Hall (Ertang Shezi) and Full-House Happiness (Mantang Fu) are performed fairly often. "Three Passes Summon the Generals": The traditional plays of Xihe opera are mostly historical robe-and-belt plays; The Register of the Upright Official (Qingguan Ce), Crossing Zhaoguan (Guo Zhaoguan), Three Passes Summon the Generals (Sanguan Diao Jiang), White Tiger Pass (Baihu Guan), Second Entry into the Palace (Erjingong), Xu Ce's Run Round the City (Xu Ce Paocheng), The Son Refused in the Second Hall (Ertang Shezi) and Full-House Happiness (Mantang Fu) are performed fairly often. "White Tiger Pass": The traditional plays of Xihe opera are mostly historical robe-and-belt plays; The Register of the Upright Official (Qingguan Ce), Crossing Zhaoguan (Guo Zhaoguan), Three Passes Summon the Generals (Sanguan Diao Jiang), White Tiger Pass (Baihu Guan), Second Entry into the Palace (Erjingong), Xu Ce's Run Round the City (Xu Ce Paocheng), The Son Refused in the Second Hall (Ertang Shezi) and Full-House Happiness (Mantang Fu) are performed fairly often.

03 · Transmission & Safeguarding Status

In 2025, Huang Juzhi was announced in the sixth batch of national representative bearers for Xihe Opera, with Xingzi, Jiangxi as the declared area. Within the documented safeguarding record of Xihe Opera in Xingzi, Jiangxi: The project was inscribed in the national inventory in 2011 (batch 3), with Xingzi, Jiangxi as its declared area, and Lushan City Cultural 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. Huangjuzhi (Xingzi, Jiangxi) · China ICH Official Project Archive
2. Huangjuzhi · China ICH Official Archive