Zhao Caixia
01 · Lineage & Regional School
Zhao Caixia, Female, Han, from Songyuan, Jilin, is a sixth-batch national representative bearer of Manchu Xincheng Opera (Ⅳ-165). The tradition is documented in Songyuan, Jilin. Within the regional tradition and school record of Manchu Xincheng Opera in Songyuan, Jilin: Taking the Fuyu eight-cornered drum opera as its basic form, Manchu Xincheng opera continually absorbs Manchu folk music, court music and shamanic music, forming a musical style that combines the banqiang system with the joined-tune system; by performing stories of the northeast region, especially Manchu stories, it shapes vivid character images, expresses the idea of the fusion of ethnic groups and highlights regional characteristics. Manchu Xincheng opera has its origin in the Manchu eight-cornered drum opera; after more than 200 years of transmission its base is solid and the genre is developing vigorously. In 1795 the "eight-cornered drum" was brought from the capital into the northeast and soon became popular in Xinchengfu, the place where the Manchu have dwelt for generations; merged with local folk songs and shamanic tunes, it formed the Fuyu eight-cornered drum. Operatic elements were absorbed into it in the course of its transmission; by the late Qing and the early Republic it had evolved into eight-cornered drum opera, was deeply loved by audiences and spread widely. In 1959 the Xincheng opera troupe of Fuyu County was founded, and the genre entered the path of professional artistic development. In 1987 the former Jilin Provincial Department of Culture named the genre "Manchu Xincheng opera".
02 · Mastery & Signature Works
The bearer record for Zhao Caixia is anchored in the documented technical standards of Manchu Xincheng Opera in Songyuan, Jilin. Within the documented technical tradition of Manchu Xincheng Opera in Songyuan, Jilin: Manchu Xincheng opera is a Manchu operatic genre of China, born in the former Fuyu County of Jilin Province (now within the jurisdiction of Songyuan City); because Fuyu County was formerly called "Xinchengfu" or "Xincheng County", the genre is called Xincheng opera. The genre is popular in the counties and districts of Songyuan City and in Changchun, Jilin, Baicheng, Siping and other places, radiating its influence to Heilongjiang, Liaoning, Inner Mongolia and many other northern provinces and regions. Its spoken recitation is mainly in Putonghua (Mandarin). Its role types are centred on sheng, dan, jing and chou, and it is good at presenting plot matters of sorrow and joy, separation and reunion, as well as light and happy stories. In performance, on the basis of the singing, recitation, acting and fighting of traditional Chinese opera, it incorporates Manchu dance; by imitating the forms of the animal spirits such as the eagle, the python and the tiger that are revered in Manchu belief, it expresses a style that honours nature and is rugged and martial, while elements such as Manchu dance and Qing court etiquette convey the traits of dignified splendour, elegance and soft beauty. Through the efforts of several generations of artists, more than sixty original plays have been created and nearly ten thousand performances given, with audiences of up to five million, among which Tiexue Nuzhen (Iron-Blood Jurchen) and Hong Hao are fairly well known. Manchu Xincheng opera is rich in cultural meaning and refined in artistic form, and it has played an important part in promoting ethnic unity and the harmonious development of society. Representative repertoire, works and technical entries recorded for the project include: "Tiexue Nuzhen (Iron-Blood Jurchen)": Through the efforts of several generations of artists, more than sixty original plays have been created and nearly ten thousand performances given, with audiences of up to five million, among which Tiexue Nuzhen (Iron-Blood Jurchen) and Hong Hao are fairly well known. "Hong Hao": Through the efforts of several generations of artists, more than sixty original plays have been created and nearly ten thousand performances given, with audiences of up to five million, among which Tiexue Nuzhen (Iron-Blood Jurchen) and Hong Hao are fairly well known.
Tiexue Nuzhen (Iron-Blood Jurchen)
Through the efforts of several generations of artists, more than sixty original plays have been created and nearly ten thousand performances given, with audiences of up to five million, among which Tiexue Nuzhen (Iron-Blood Jurchen) and Hong Hao are fairly well known.
Hong Hao
Through the efforts of several generations of artists, more than sixty original plays have been created and nearly ten thousand performances given, with audiences of up to five million, among which Tiexue Nuzhen (Iron-Blood Jurchen) and Hong Hao are fairly well known.
Core Technique I
Manchu Xincheng opera is a Manchu operatic genre of China, born in the former Fuyu County of Jilin Province (now within the jurisdiction of Songyuan City);
Core Technique II
because Fuyu County was formerly called "Xinchengfu" or "Xincheng County", the genre is called Xincheng opera.
03 · Transmission & Safeguarding Status
In 2025, Zhao Caixia was announced in the sixth batch of national representative bearers for Manchu Xincheng Opera, with Songyuan, Jilin as the declared area. Within the documented safeguarding record of Manchu Xincheng Opera in Songyuan, Jilin: The project was inscribed in the national inventory in 2021 (batch 5), with Songyuan, Jilin as its declared area, and Songyuan Manzuxinchengxi Transmission 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
Historical origin
Manchu Xincheng opera has its origin in the Manchu eight-cornered drum opera; after more than 200 years of transmission its base is solid and the genre is developing vigorously. In 1795 the "eight-cornered drum" was brought from the capital into the northeast and soon became popular in Xinchengfu, the place where the Manchu have dwelt for generations; merged with local folk songs and shamanic tunes, it formed the Fuyu eight-cornered drum.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zhao Caixia | Songyuan, Jilin | — | 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。