Cao Boyan
01 · Lineage & Regional School
Cao Boyan, Male, Han, from Yanan, Shaanxi, is a sixth-batch national representative bearer of Northern Shaanxi Storytelling (Ⅴ-14). The tradition is documented in Yanan, Shaanxi. Within the regional tradition and school record of Northern Shaanxi Storytelling in Yanan, Shaanxi: Northern Shaanxi storytelling is centred on the two places of Yan'an and Yulin and spreads to Yanchang, Yanchuan, Zichang, Ansai, Qingjian, Suide, Mizhi, Jia County, Wubao, Shenmu, Fugu and the outskirts of Yulin city; according to the accompanying instrument used it is separately called sanxian shu or pipa shu. The Yan'an line came under the influence of revolutionary literature and art early, and the adaptation and creative activity of the storytelling group of the Border Region Literary and Artistic Association in the 1940s took this place as its base; the Yulin area, by contrast, preserves more of the tradition of singing long works at temple fairs and markets. Performers were formerly called shu jiang (booksmiths), and were commonly engaged by invitation to open a performance at temple fairs, rain-prayer ceremonies, thanksgiving of vows, birthday celebrations and soil-thanking rites; long works were performed hui by hui in succession, while short pieces, poems and preludes served to open the show or to fill the intervals between items. From the 1940s onwards, the Literary and Artistic Association of the Shaan-Gan-Ning Border Region set up a storytelling group, and new literary workers such as Lin Shan helped Han Qixiang and other performers to compose and stage one after another new repertoire works that served the revolutionary struggle, such as Liu Qiao's Reunion, Wang Piqin's Journey to the Southern Road, The Great Victory at Yichuan, Record of Turning Over and Telling Stories to Chairman Mao.
02 · Mastery & Signature Works
The bearer record for Cao Boyan is anchored in the documented technical standards of Northern Shaanxi Storytelling in Yanan, Shaanxi. Within the documented technical tradition of Northern Shaanxi Storytelling in Yanan, Shaanxi: Northern Shaanxi storytelling (Shaanbei shuoshu) is a form of quyi storytelling of considerable importance in the northwest region, popular mainly in Yan'an and Yulin in the north of Shaanxi Province. It originated when poor blind men used northern Shaanxi folk minor tunes to sing legendary stories; it later absorbed the tunes of meihu, Qinqiang, daoqing and xintianyou, and gradually took shape as a storytelling form in which long stories are narrated in speech and song. The traditional performance form of Northern Shaanxi storytelling has the performer use the northern Shaanxi accent and, holding a sanxian or a pipa, accompany his own singing while alternating between speech and song to narrate the story. According to the accompanying instrument used, it is also called 'sanxian shu' or 'pipa shu'. By the 1930s and 1940s, under the reform of famous performers such as Han Qixiang, Northern Shaanxi storytelling had developed into a form of quyi storytelling accompanied by five instruments played by a single performer at once: the large sanxian (or pipa), the bangzi clappers, the shua ban beat-boards, a small wooden beat-striker known as 'ma zha zha', and a small gong (or cymbal). The lyrics of Northern Shaanxi storytelling are plain and flowing, with a strong local flavour; the tunes are comparatively rich and the style stirring and rugged, and it has long been known for 'nine modes and eighteen tunes'. Among those in common use are [danyin diao], [shuangyin diao], [Xiliang diao], [Shandong qiang], [ping diao], [ku diao], [duidui diao] and [wu diao]. Northern Shaanxi storytelling has many traditional programmes. Representative long works include Hualiu Ji, Yaoqian Ji, Guandeng Ji and Diaoling Shan, and short pieces include Zhang Qijie Descends to the Mortal World and others. Han Qixiang, together with Liu Xuwang, Dang Fuxiang, Wang Jinkao and others, are influential and well-known performers of Northern Shaanxi storytelling. Representative repertoire, works and technical entries recorded for the project include: "Liu Qiao's Reunion": One of the new story-titles made in the 1940s by Han Qixiang and fellow artists under the Border Region writers' group. "Nine airs and eighteen tunes": The collective name for the genre's repertory of airs, whose common items include the single-note, double-note and Xiliang tunes. "The mazhazha clappers": One of the five instruments played simultaneously by a single artist, alongside the sanxian, bangzi, shuaban and small gong. "Four traditional long tales": Four representative long traditional tales of northern Shaanxi storytelling, alongside short pieces such as Zhang Qijie Descends to Earth.
Liu Qiao's Reunion
One of the new story-titles made in the 1940s by Han Qixiang and fellow artists under the Border Region writers' group.
Nine airs and eighteen tunes
The collective name for the genre's repertory of airs, whose common items include the single-note, double-note and Xiliang tunes.
The mazhazha clappers
One of the five instruments played simultaneously by a single artist, alongside the sanxian, bangzi, shuaban and small gong.
Four traditional long tales
Four representative long traditional tales of northern Shaanxi storytelling, alongside short pieces such as Zhang Qijie Descends to Earth.
03 · Transmission & Safeguarding Status
In 2025, Cao Boyan was announced in the sixth batch of national representative bearers for Northern Shaanxi Storytelling, with Yanan, Shaanxi as the declared area. Within the documented safeguarding record of Northern Shaanxi Storytelling in Yanan, Shaanxi: The project was inscribed in the national inventory in 2006 (batch 1), with Yanan, Shaanxi as its declared area, and Yanan Qu Yi Hall 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
From the 1940s onwards, the Literary and Artistic Association of the Shaan-Gan-Ning Border Region set up a storytelling group, and new literary workers such as Lin Shan helped Han Qixiang and other performers to compose and stage one after another new repertoire works that served the revolutionary struggle, such as Liu Qiao's Reunion, Wang Piqin's Journey to the Southern Road, The Great Victory at Yichuan, Record of Turning Over and Telling Stories to Chairman Mao.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Han Yinglian | Yanan, Shaanxi | 02-0724 | Same declared area |
| Jiemingsheng | Yanan, Shaanxi | 02-0725 | Same declared area |
| Cao Boyan | Yanan, Shaanxi | — | 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。