Tang Yudao

01 · Lineage & Regional School

Tang Yudao, Male, Unspecified, from Gaochun, Jiangsu, is a third-batch national representative bearer of Zhuma (Ⅲ-44). The tradition is documented in Gaochun, Jiangsu. Within the regional tradition and school record of Zhuma in Gaochun, Jiangsu: The Dongba big horse lantern takes Dongba Village, Dongba Town, Gaochun District as its centre of transmission; the performers are all villagers of the village, and cases of three generations, grandparent, parent and grandchild, appearing together are common. The procession of horses is fixed at seven horses, portraying such Three Kingdoms figures as Liu Bei, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, and deploying their formations in alternation under the direction of the drum beats; its establishment and formation system are the most complete among the various horse lantern teams of the locality. It began roughly in the Song dynasty and, through repeated practice by folk artists of generation after generation, took shape as a fixed form of performance, and is performed mainly at folk temple fairs on festive occasions such as the Spring Festival and the Lantern Festival. The Dongba big horse lantern is passed down in Dongba Village, Dongba Town, Gaochun County, Jiangsu Province. It originated in the Tang, flourished in the Song, and has a history of more than a thousand years to the present day. After 1949 the Dongba big horse lantern won awards many times at national and provincial folk art performance showcases.

02 · Mastery & Signature Works

Male, of Han ethnicity, born in September 1949 in Gaochun County, Jiangsu Province. Raised under the influence of his elders, he learned to perform the dama deng (great horse lantern) from childhood and gained a comprehensive command of the Dongba dama deng performance art, mastering with ease its running, racing, rearing, leaping and troop-formation movements. His performances are highly spectacular and effectively convey the imposing, martial character of the dama deng. In the late 1980s he became artistic director of the Dongba dama deng performance troupe. Within the documented technical tradition of Zhuma in Gaochun, Jiangsu: The bamboo horse is also called the 'running horse lantern', the 'living horse' or the 'bamboo horse lantern', and is a traditional form of folk dance. To make a bamboo horse, one first ties a frame with bamboo skin or bamboo splints, then covers the outside with several layers of thick paper, paints it in colour and coats it with tung oil. A bell is tied at the horse's neck and a white cloth apron is fastened below; galloping horse legs are drawn on the apron, and the rider's legs and feet may also be painted on both sides of the horse's belly. The bamboo horse performance is simple in form. During performance the dancers wear ethnic costume and tie to the waist a bamboo horse made from bamboo poles or splints and divided into front and back halves, take the posture of riding a horse, constantly change formations and steps, acting as they walk, while the audience follows and watches along the way. The performance movements are also relatively simple, consisting mainly of the dancers running about and crossing the stage. The number of performers in a complete performance may be large or small: one person is called the 'lone horse' and performs such items as acting out a horse and leaping and lying down; two people usually perform 'The Little Couple Returns to the Parental Home'; four people usually perform 'Three Heroes Fighting Lü Bu'. In performance, percussion instruments such as gong, drum and cymbals are generally used for accompaniment, and in some places the suona pipe plays folk melodies to heighten the atmosphere and strengthen the rhythm. In this big horse lantern two people combine to perform one horse, and in terms of modelling its prop is taller and larger than that of an ordinary horse lantern. It uses bamboo for the frame of the horse and velvet cloth for the horse's skin, and is further decorated with a saddle, reins, bronze bells and the like. A Dongba big horse lantern procession generally consists of seven horses, imitating real horses raising their heads and neighing, galloping and leaping, and looks vividly lifelike. In performance, folk instruments accompany, and under the direction of the drum beats the procession of horses deploys its formations in alternation. Actors portraying such Three Kingdoms figures as Liu Bei, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei mount their horses and set out to war, exactly as if charging across a battlefield, making the audience present feel they are there. Finally, the procession of horses closes by tracing a formation according to the strokes of the four characters 'the world is at peace'. The performers of the Dongba big horse lantern are all villagers of Dongba Village, and three generations, old and young, often appear on the same stage. Representative repertoire, works and technical entries recorded for the project include: "Seven horses and the Three Kingdoms roles": Each horse takes two performers and the procession normally counts seven horses, ridden by actors playing Liu Bei, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei. "Making the big horse lantern": The frame is bamboo, the hide velvet cloth, with saddle, reins and bronze bells added; it stands taller than ordinary horse lanterns. "Solo horse and the paired and quartet pieces": The number of performers varies: one does the solo horse, two usually play the young couple visiting the bride's family, four the three heroes against Lu Bu. "Closing in the characters for universal peace": The procession ends by tracing the four characters for universal peace, turning the wish for good harvest and order into choreography.

03 · Transmission & Safeguarding Status

He is a national representative bearer of Zhuma (Dongba dama deng), a third-batch national intangible cultural heritage project. Leading his troupe in performance, he has travelled to almost every part of the country, winning the affection of wide audiences and receiving numerous awards. To date he has transmitted the art to five apprentices and has also taken part in teaching traditional culture in primary and secondary schools.

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. Tang Yudao · National Representative Bearer Archive