Longxiyunyangban
01 · Historical Records
The principal movements of Longxi Yunyang ban evolved from martial arts sets distinctive to western China, such as the one-handed whip staff and the two-handed whip staff found among the folk, and the Lu-he spear technique of Yue Fei of the Song dynasty.
02 · Core Techniques & Process
Longxi Yunyang ban is a traditional folk dance form current in Gongchang Town of Longxi County, Dingxi City, Gansu Province. It is the product of a typical religious sacrificial activity in which Buddhism and Daoism are combined; its style is distinctive, its coverage is broad and public participation is high. Gongchang Town lies in the urban area of Longxi County on the upper reaches of the Wei River; it has a long history and a rich cultural deposit. The props, the teams, the content, the forms, the instruments and the music of Longxi Yunyang ban performance follow a basic set of conventions. A performance team generally numbers four people in one group; the members tie their hair in double buns, wear red flowers on their heads, drape cloud shoulders, tie battle skirts, wear short trousers and blue-linen cloth shoes with a bright red pom-pom fixed on them, and hold Yunyang ban boards as their props. Each board is about 3 chi long and about 2.5 cun wide, four boards making one set, and red silk thread threaded with copper coins is used to fasten them at the top. The dancers hold the Yunyang boards as dance instruments, taking two boards in each hand by the lower end, arranged in two rows with one person to a column, and advance with the boards waved in a symmetrical pattern. Led in front by a banner team, with a gong-and-drum team marking the beat, the dancers stride forward three steps in time with the music; when the raised boards are held in the shape of the character "ren" (man), one foot is raised and balanced on the other like a crane standing on one leg; then the large gong gives a loud "guang", the foot lands at once, and the boards strike the beat together with a crisp "pa-da", the rhythm uniform and full of charm. While dancing, at times the boards strike the ground with a ringing and powerful sound; at times they strike against each other with a noise like clashing weapons; at times they sweep through the air with a whistling wind. Its sets include "the boy worshipping Guanyin" and "the Eight Immortals", and its movements include "Xiangzi blowing the flute", "crossing the mountain and striking the tiger", "the pouncing step and the pose", "the small-blade flower turn", "the flying kick and the lying fish", "drawing up the leg and probing the sea", "the crossed board meeting", "spreading the wings and occupying the step", "each striking his own board", "boards meeting each other", "boards circling the body" and so on. The bold and sonorous performing style of Longxi Yunyang ban merges with the martial custom that the people of north-west China have honoured since ancient times; there is strength within gentleness and gentleness within strength, and the two combining into a magnificent whole. The transmission of Longxi Yunyang ban is characterised by its social and loose nature; for the month preceding the eighth day of the fourth lunar month each year the various village communities organise it spontaneously, and veteran folk artists teach and rehearse it. From ancient times to the present there are no detailed written records. Longxi Yunyang ban combines sacrifice and entertainment in one, contains rich cultural content and ethnic cultural information, and bears witness to the longing of the people of Longxi for a good life.
The three-foot cloud-sun clapper
The implement is some three feet long and two and a half inches wide, four slats joined at the head by red thread and coins.
Twin buns, cloud collar and hemp shoes
Teams of four wear twin hair buns and red blossoms, cloud collars, war skirts and hemp shoes with a bright red pompom.
The boy greets Guanyin, the eight immortals
The set routines include the boy greeting Guanyin and the eight immortals, danced behind a flag party to the drum and gong.
Xiangzi's flute, crossing the mountain, the lunge pose
The movement names are borrowed from martial and operatic posture: fluting Xiangzi, tiger-hunting, the lunge, the low-fish spin.
Raising the boards as a man and standing on air
The boards rise into the character for man, one foot poised in air, until the gong crashes and the foot lands as the boards clap together.
Month-long rehearsals before the eighth of the fourth month
A month before the eighth day of the fourth lunar month the villages drill the teams, the movements descended from western whip-stick and spear routines.
03 · Regional Records & Related Items
Longxi Yunyang ban is current in Gongchang Town of Longxi County, Dingxi City, Gansu Province, and in the surrounding village communities. Gongchang Town lies on the upper reaches of the Wei River and has a long history and a rich cultural deposit. For the month before the eighth day of the fourth lunar month each year the village communities organise teams spontaneously, and veteran folk artists teach and rehearse them; from ancient times to the present there are no detailed written records, so transmission is characterised by its social and loose nature. In recent years the protecting unit has assembled a large-scale performing troupe which has taken part many times in major national and local events.
04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding
Teaching apprentices under a master, oral transmission from heart to heart and instruction by word and example are the main modes of transmission for this project. In recent years the government of Longxi County and the protecting unit have adopted a series of measures to protect and transmit the project, making up for its weaknesses in continuity, have assembled a large-scale performing troupe that performs for the broad masses and has taken part many times in major national and local events, praying for favourable weather and for the prosperity of the state and the welfare of the people, and have strengthened the intensity of transmission and protection, so that the project has been effectively inherited and disseminated. Its religious and cultural characteristics are marked, and it pursues the unity of heaven and humanity, the unity of Buddhism and Daoism and the perfection of both civil and martial accomplishment. It provides rare historical material for the study of the local customs and the history of religion in Longxi and in north-west China, and has historical, cultural and artistic value that cannot be ignored.
06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography
Sources
China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)
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