Yueju (Cantonese Opera)
01 · Historical Records
In the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, the Yiyang and Kun tune styles were introduced into Guangdong. Around 1912, Cantonese opera performance had basically switched to the Guangzhou dialect; the performance system grew steadily more complete, folk songs and minor tunes began to be inserted into the banghuang (bangzi and erhuang) passages, and falsetto singing was replaced by natural-voice singing known as "pinghou".
02 · Core Techniques & Process
The early traditional repertoire of Cantonese opera mainly included Yibao Xue (One Handful of Snow), Erdu Mei (Plum Blossoming Twice), Sanguantang (Hall of the Three Officials), Sijinshi (Four Jinshi) and Wudengke (Five Times Passing the Imperial Examination), known as the so-called "Eighteen Works of the Rivers and Lakes" (jianghu shiba ben). Later there appeared the "New Eighteen Works of the Rivers and Lakes" (xin jianghu shiba ben), including Huanghuashan (Yellow Flower Mountain), Xihe Hui (Meeting at the Western River), Shuangjie Yuan (Two Knotted Marriages) and Xuezhong Yuan (Heavy Injustice Under Snow), as well as the "Grand Eighteen Works of Full Staging" (da paichang shiba ben), such as Suwu Muyang (Su Wu Herding Sheep) and Daiyu Zanghua (Daiyu Burying Flowers). Other representative repertoire works include Bai Jinlong (The White Golden Dragon), Huoshao Epanggong (Burning the Epang Palace), Pinggui Bieyao (Pinggui Parting from the Kiln), Baolian Deng (The Lotus Lantern), Luocheng Xieshu (Luo Cheng Writing the Letter) and Fengyi Ting (Phoenix Pageantry Pavilion). The basic vocal styles of Cantonese opera are bangzi (bang) and erhuang; it also incorporates the gaoqiang (high tune) and kunqiang (Kun tune) styles together with Guangdong folk narrative singing and miscellaneous minor tunes. The Cantonese opera ensemble was originally made up of the "five-piece head" (wujiatou) of erxian (two-string fiddle), yueqin (moon lute), sanxian (three-string lute), zhutiqin (bamboo fiddle) and xiao (flute); other newer instruments were gradually taken in later. Cantonese opera originally had ten role types — mo, sheng, dan, jing, chou, wai, xiao, fu, tie and za — which were later streamlined to six: wenwu sheng, xiaosheng, zhengyin huadan, erbang huadan, chou sheng and wu sheng. Cantonese opera performance carries a plain, unadorned and bold character, with virtuoso techniques such as one-legged stomping, rope-sliding (huasuo), darting of the eyes, small leaps and back-twisting. Its martial combat is based on the southern school of kung fu; target-striking, hand-bridge, Shaolin boxing and the highly difficult chair skills and high-platform skills are all exceptionally accomplished. Cantonese opera make-up is spare and simple, its colours are rich and brilliant, and its costumes are made largely with Guangdong embroidery (Guangxiu) — exquisite and gorgeous, with a strong local flavour. Cantonese opera broadly absorbs local art forms such as Guangdong music, Guangxiu embroidery, ivory carving, pottery and grey sculpture (huisu); it fully embodies the regional cultural traditions of the Guangfu cultural group, its reach extends to every part of the globe, and it holds extremely strong cultural cohesion among Chinese communities worldwide.
Yibao Xue (One Handful of Snow)
The early traditional repertoire of Cantonese opera mainly included Yibao Xue (One Handful of Snow), Erdu Mei (Plum Blossoming Twice), Sanguantang (Hall of the Three Officials), Sijinshi (Four Jinshi) and Wudengke (Five Times Passing the Imperial Examination), known as the so-called "Eighteen Works of the Rivers and Lakes" (jianghu shiba ben). Later there appeared the "New Eighteen Works of the Rivers and Lakes" (xin jianghu shiba ben), including Huanghuashan (Yellow Flower Mountain), Xihe Hui (Meeting at the Western River), Shuangjie Yuan (Two Knotted Marriages) and Xuezhong Yuan (Heavy Injustice Under Snow), as well as the "Grand Eighteen Works of Full Staging" (da paichang shiba ben), such as Suwu Muyang (Su Wu Herding Sheep) and Daiyu Zanghua (Daiyu Burying Flowers).
Erdu Mei (Plum Blossoming Twice)
The early traditional repertoire of Cantonese opera mainly included Yibao Xue (One Handful of Snow), Erdu Mei (Plum Blossoming Twice), Sanguantang (Hall of the Three Officials), Sijinshi (Four Jinshi) and Wudengke (Five Times Passing the Imperial Examination), known as the so-called "Eighteen Works of the Rivers and Lakes" (jianghu shiba ben). Later there appeared the "New Eighteen Works of the Rivers and Lakes" (xin jianghu shiba ben), including Huanghuashan (Yellow Flower Mountain), Xihe Hui (Meeting at the Western River), Shuangjie Yuan (Two Knotted Marriages) and Xuezhong Yuan (Heavy Injustice Under Snow), as well as the "Grand Eighteen Works of Full Staging" (da paichang shiba ben), such as Suwu Muyang (Su Wu Herding Sheep) and Daiyu Zanghua (Daiyu Burying Flowers).
Sanguantang (Hall of the Three Officials)
The early traditional repertoire of Cantonese opera mainly included Yibao Xue (One Handful of Snow), Erdu Mei (Plum Blossoming Twice), Sanguantang (Hall of the Three Officials), Sijinshi (Four Jinshi) and Wudengke (Five Times Passing the Imperial Examination), known as the so-called "Eighteen Works of the Rivers and Lakes" (jianghu shiba ben). Later there appeared the "New Eighteen Works of the Rivers and Lakes" (xin jianghu shiba ben), including Huanghuashan (Yellow Flower Mountain), Xihe Hui (Meeting at the Western River), Shuangjie Yuan (Two Knotted Marriages) and Xuezhong Yuan (Heavy Injustice Under Snow), as well as the "Grand Eighteen Works of Full Staging" (da paichang shiba ben), such as Suwu Muyang (Su Wu Herding Sheep) and Daiyu Zanghua (Daiyu Burying Flowers).
Sijinshi (Four Jinshi)
The early traditional repertoire of Cantonese opera mainly included Yibao Xue (One Handful of Snow), Erdu Mei (Plum Blossoming Twice), Sanguantang (Hall of the Three Officials), Sijinshi (Four Jinshi) and Wudengke (Five Times Passing the Imperial Examination), known as the so-called "Eighteen Works of the Rivers and Lakes" (jianghu shiba ben). Later there appeared the "New Eighteen Works of the Rivers and Lakes" (xin jianghu shiba ben), including Huanghuashan (Yellow Flower Mountain), Xihe Hui (Meeting at the Western River), Shuangjie Yuan (Two Knotted Marriages) and Xuezhong Yuan (Heavy Injustice Under Snow), as well as the "Grand Eighteen Works of Full Staging" (da paichang shiba ben), such as Suwu Muyang (Su Wu Herding Sheep) and Daiyu Zanghua (Daiyu Burying Flowers).
Wudengke (Five Times Passing the Imperial Examination)
The early traditional repertoire of Cantonese opera mainly included Yibao Xue (One Handful of Snow), Erdu Mei (Plum Blossoming Twice), Sanguantang (Hall of the Three Officials), Sijinshi (Four Jinshi) and Wudengke (Five Times Passing the Imperial Examination), known as the so-called "Eighteen Works of the Rivers and Lakes" (jianghu shiba ben). Later there appeared the "New Eighteen Works of the Rivers and Lakes" (xin jianghu shiba ben), including Huanghuashan (Yellow Flower Mountain), Xihe Hui (Meeting at the Western River), Shuangjie Yuan (Two Knotted Marriages) and Xuezhong Yuan (Heavy Injustice Under Snow), as well as the "Grand Eighteen Works of Full Staging" (da paichang shiba ben), such as Suwu Muyang (Su Wu Herding Sheep) and Daiyu Zanghua (Daiyu Burying Flowers).
Huanghuashan (Yellow Flower Mountain)
The early traditional repertoire of Cantonese opera mainly included Yibao Xue (One Handful of Snow), Erdu Mei (Plum Blossoming Twice), Sanguantang (Hall of the Three Officials), Sijinshi (Four Jinshi) and Wudengke (Five Times Passing the Imperial Examination), known as the so-called "Eighteen Works of the Rivers and Lakes" (jianghu shiba ben). Later there appeared the "New Eighteen Works of the Rivers and Lakes" (xin jianghu shiba ben), including Huanghuashan (Yellow Flower Mountain), Xihe Hui (Meeting at the Western River), Shuangjie Yuan (Two Knotted Marriages) and Xuezhong Yuan (Heavy Injustice Under Snow), as well as the "Grand Eighteen Works of Full Staging" (da paichang shiba ben), such as Suwu Muyang (Su Wu Herding Sheep) and Daiyu Zanghua (Daiyu Burying Flowers).
Xihe Hui (Meeting at the Western River)
The early traditional repertoire of Cantonese opera mainly included Yibao Xue (One Handful of Snow), Erdu Mei (Plum Blossoming Twice), Sanguantang (Hall of the Three Officials), Sijinshi (Four Jinshi) and Wudengke (Five Times Passing the Imperial Examination), known as the so-called "Eighteen Works of the Rivers and Lakes" (jianghu shiba ben). Later there appeared the "New Eighteen Works of the Rivers and Lakes" (xin jianghu shiba ben), including Huanghuashan (Yellow Flower Mountain), Xihe Hui (Meeting at the Western River), Shuangjie Yuan (Two Knotted Marriages) and Xuezhong Yuan (Heavy Injustice Under Snow), as well as the "Grand Eighteen Works of Full Staging" (da paichang shiba ben), such as Suwu Muyang (Su Wu Herding Sheep) and Daiyu Zanghua (Daiyu Burying Flowers).
Shuangjie Yuan (Two Knotted Marriages)
The early traditional repertoire of Cantonese opera mainly included Yibao Xue (One Handful of Snow), Erdu Mei (Plum Blossoming Twice), Sanguantang (Hall of the Three Officials), Sijinshi (Four Jinshi) and Wudengke (Five Times Passing the Imperial Examination), known as the so-called "Eighteen Works of the Rivers and Lakes" (jianghu shiba ben). Later there appeared the "New Eighteen Works of the Rivers and Lakes" (xin jianghu shiba ben), including Huanghuashan (Yellow Flower Mountain), Xihe Hui (Meeting at the Western River), Shuangjie Yuan (Two Knotted Marriages) and Xuezhong Yuan (Heavy Injustice Under Snow), as well as the "Grand Eighteen Works of Full Staging" (da paichang shiba ben), such as Suwu Muyang (Su Wu Herding Sheep) and Daiyu Zanghua (Daiyu Burying Flowers).
Xuezhong Yuan (Heavy Injustice Under Snow)
The early traditional repertoire of Cantonese opera mainly included Yibao Xue (One Handful of Snow), Erdu Mei (Plum Blossoming Twice), Sanguantang (Hall of the Three Officials), Sijinshi (Four Jinshi) and Wudengke (Five Times Passing the Imperial Examination), known as the so-called "Eighteen Works of the Rivers and Lakes" (jianghu shiba ben). Later there appeared the "New Eighteen Works of the Rivers and Lakes" (xin jianghu shiba ben), including Huanghuashan (Yellow Flower Mountain), Xihe Hui (Meeting at the Western River), Shuangjie Yuan (Two Knotted Marriages) and Xuezhong Yuan (Heavy Injustice Under Snow), as well as the "Grand Eighteen Works of Full Staging" (da paichang shiba ben), such as Suwu Muyang (Su Wu Herding Sheep) and Daiyu Zanghua (Daiyu Burying Flowers).
Suwu Muyang (Su Wu Herding Sheep)
The early traditional repertoire of Cantonese opera mainly included Yibao Xue (One Handful of Snow), Erdu Mei (Plum Blossoming Twice), Sanguantang (Hall of the Three Officials), Sijinshi (Four Jinshi) and Wudengke (Five Times Passing the Imperial Examination), known as the so-called "Eighteen Works of the Rivers and Lakes" (jianghu shiba ben). Later there appeared the "New Eighteen Works of the Rivers and Lakes" (xin jianghu shiba ben), including Huanghuashan (Yellow Flower Mountain), Xihe Hui (Meeting at the Western River), Shuangjie Yuan (Two Knotted Marriages) and Xuezhong Yuan (Heavy Injustice Under Snow), as well as the "Grand Eighteen Works of Full Staging" (da paichang shiba ben), such as Suwu Muyang (Su Wu Herding Sheep) and Daiyu Zanghua (Daiyu Burying Flowers).
Daiyu Zanghua (Daiyu Burying Flowers)
The early traditional repertoire of Cantonese opera mainly included Yibao Xue (One Handful of Snow), Erdu Mei (Plum Blossoming Twice), Sanguantang (Hall of the Three Officials), Sijinshi (Four Jinshi) and Wudengke (Five Times Passing the Imperial Examination), known as the so-called "Eighteen Works of the Rivers and Lakes" (jianghu shiba ben). Later there appeared the "New Eighteen Works of the Rivers and Lakes" (xin jianghu shiba ben), including Huanghuashan (Yellow Flower Mountain), Xihe Hui (Meeting at the Western River), Shuangjie Yuan (Two Knotted Marriages) and Xuezhong Yuan (Heavy Injustice Under Snow), as well as the "Grand Eighteen Works of Full Staging" (da paichang shiba ben), such as Suwu Muyang (Su Wu Herding Sheep) and Daiyu Zanghua (Daiyu Burying Flowers).
Bai Jinlong (The White Golden Dragon)
Other representative repertoire works include Bai Jinlong (The White Golden Dragon), Huoshao Epanggong (Burning the Epang Palace), Pinggui Bieyao (Pinggui Parting from the Kiln), Baolian Deng (The Lotus Lantern), Luocheng Xieshu (Luo Cheng Writing the Letter) and Fengyi Ting (Phoenix Pageantry Pavilion).
Huoshao Epanggong (Burning the Epang Palace)
Other representative repertoire works include Bai Jinlong (The White Golden Dragon), Huoshao Epanggong (Burning the Epang Palace), Pinggui Bieyao (Pinggui Parting from the Kiln), Baolian Deng (The Lotus Lantern), Luocheng Xieshu (Luo Cheng Writing the Letter) and Fengyi Ting (Phoenix Pageantry Pavilion).
Pinggui Bieyao (Pinggui Parting from the Kiln)
Other representative repertoire works include Bai Jinlong (The White Golden Dragon), Huoshao Epanggong (Burning the Epang Palace), Pinggui Bieyao (Pinggui Parting from the Kiln), Baolian Deng (The Lotus Lantern), Luocheng Xieshu (Luo Cheng Writing the Letter) and Fengyi Ting (Phoenix Pageantry Pavilion).
Baolian Deng (The Lotus Lantern)
Other representative repertoire works include Bai Jinlong (The White Golden Dragon), Huoshao Epanggong (Burning the Epang Palace), Pinggui Bieyao (Pinggui Parting from the Kiln), Baolian Deng (The Lotus Lantern), Luocheng Xieshu (Luo Cheng Writing the Letter) and Fengyi Ting (Phoenix Pageantry Pavilion).
Luocheng Xieshu (Luo Cheng Writing the Letter)
Other representative repertoire works include Bai Jinlong (The White Golden Dragon), Huoshao Epanggong (Burning the Epang Palace), Pinggui Bieyao (Pinggui Parting from the Kiln), Baolian Deng (The Lotus Lantern), Luocheng Xieshu (Luo Cheng Writing the Letter) and Fengyi Ting (Phoenix Pageantry Pavilion).
Fengyi Ting (Phoenix Pageantry Pavilion)
Other representative repertoire works include Bai Jinlong (The White Golden Dragon), Huoshao Epanggong (Burning the Epang Palace), Pinggui Bieyao (Pinggui Parting from the Kiln), Baolian Deng (The Lotus Lantern), Luocheng Xieshu (Luo Cheng Writing the Letter) and Fengyi Ting (Phoenix Pageantry Pavilion).
03 · Regional Records & Related Items
Cantonese opera is mainly popular in the towns and countryside of Guangdong Province as a whole, of southern Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and of the Macao Special Administrative Region — in short, wherever Cantonese is spoken. During the Xianfeng and Daoguang reigns of the Qing dynasty, Guangdong's local troupes used banghuang (xipi and erhuang) as their basic melodic mode in performance, while also taking in the gaoqiang and kunqiang styles together with Guangdong folk pieces and contemporary popular tunes; they took "theatre-tent Mandarin" (xipengguanhua) as the basic language, interspersed with Cantonese, and Cantonese opera gradually took shape.
Other submitting regions for the same item: Yueju (Cantonese Opera) · Yueju (Cantonese Opera) · Yueju (Cantonese Opera) · Yueju (Cantonese Opera) · Yueju (Cantonese Opera) · Yueju (Cantonese Opera).
04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding
However, in the face of the violent impact of modern urban culture, the space in which Cantonese opera can survive has contracted sharply and it is in an endangered state, so protection must be launched as soon as possible. Luo Jiabao (official archival record of the associated inheritor): A national first-class performer. He drew widely on the strengths of renowned masters such as Xue Juexian, Bai Yutang and Gui Mingyang, and, starting from the conditions of his own voice, played to his strengths and avoided his weaknesses, creating a vocal style distinctly his own. Skilled in using traditional performance conventions to design a character's physical movements, he relied on a subtle fusion of singing and acting to express characters' inner feelings, creating classic images such as Liu Yi and Lu You. After retirement, he spared no effort in promoting Cantonese opera and rescuing intangible cultural heritage, holding art lectures many times, recounting the history of Cantonese opera to younger generations, and demonstrating and passing on the traditional staging conventions and vocal techniques of Cantonese opera. Male, Han, born in June 1930, died in April 2016, native of Foshan, Guangdong Province. Representative inheritor of Cantonese opera in the fourth batch of national-level intangible cultural heritage projects. Ding Fan (official archival record of the associated inheritor): Male, Han, born in August 1956, native of Liling County, Hunan Province. A national first-class performer and an expert enjoying the special government allowance of the State Council. Over more than forty years in the profession, he has pursued art unremittingly, remained at the forefront of the art throughout, and mastered both accomplished performance technique and systematic professional knowledge. His range of roles is broad, and he is especially skilled in wenwu xiaosheng, with a handsome stage appearance, equally at home in civil and martial roles, and excellent in both singing and acting. He starred in dozens of large-scale Cantonese opera works such as Hunqian Zhuji Xiang and Lunwenxu Chuanqi, and directed many Cantonese opera works including Tanggong Xiangmeng Zheng Qianmeng. He created a large number of vivid and moving stage images and enjoys wide influence among audiences at home and abroad. He led troupes many times to perform in the Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan regions and in countries including the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Singapore, actively promoting Cantonese opera art at home and abroad. He formerly served as president of the Guangdong Cantonese Opera Theatre, and in November 2016 was elected chairman of the Guangdong Provincial Federation of Theatre Circles. Representative inheritor of Cantonese opera in the fifth batch of national-level intangible cultural heritage projects. He received awards including the Eighth China Theatre Plum Blossom Award, the Ministry of Culture Wenhua Performance Award and the Fifth China Golden Record Award, and titles such as Outstanding Expert of the Ministry of Culture and Guangdong Province Youth and Middle-Aged Artist of Both Virtue and Art. He emphasised the training of Cantonese opera inheritors and trained a group of excellent performers, including the national first-class actors Zeng Xiaomin and Peng Qinghua.
05 · Associated Representative Bearers
Representative bearers recorded under this item, organized by national nomination batch:
- Chen Jiansheng 02-0528
- Hongxiannv 02-0529
- Luo Jiabao 04-1635
- Ding Fan 05-2344
- Ou Xiaohu 05-2345
- Lin Guoguang 05-2346
- Feng Xingyuan 05-2347
- Li Shuqin
- Liang Sumei
- Cengxiaomin
06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography
Sources
China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)
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