Cao Mingkuan
Mastery, Signature Works & Repertoire
Male, of the Achang ethnic group, born in 1943, a native of Lianghe, Yunnan. Zhepamahezhemima is the creation epic of the Achang people, circulating among the Achang community of Lianghe County in Yunnan Province. The two protagonists of the epic, Zhepama and Zhemima, are the creator deities recounted in Achang tradition. The epic is filled with grand and wondrous visions and preserves the primordial memory of the Achang ancestors concerning the formation of heaven and earth and the origins of humankind and all things; it is of great value for the study of Achang history, beliefs, and customs. Zhepamahezhemima is sung entirely in the Achang language. At a time when the Achang language is rapidly weakening and dying out, the huopao (ritual masters) have become living carriers for the study of the ancient Achang tongue. Cao Mingkuan began presiding over various sacrificial rites at the age of thirty and is the most renowned of the only three surviving huopao among the Achang of Lianghe County. He can sing and recite the whole of Zhepamahezhemima. He is thoroughly versed in the sacrificial procedures of his people, the associated taboos, and the customs and rituals of his ethnic group, and he is able to conduct sacrificial rites in several languages, including Achang, Chinese, Dai, and Jingpo.
Honors & Recognition
A national representative bearer of Zhepamahezhemima, a first-batch national intangible cultural heritage project. The Achang people call those who preside over sacrificial rites huopao. The huopao are the principal representative bearers and transmitters of Zhepamahezhemima; they are the embodiment of Achang religion, ritual, and morality, and they enjoy high standing among the Achang people.
References & Archival Sources
Representative Items of This Bearer
- Zhepamahezhemima Ⅰ-3
Profile
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