Yangge Opera
01 · Historical Records
Xiangwu yangge is mainly popular in the Shangdang and Jinzhong areas of Shanxi Province. It originated in the folk shehuo activities of the late Ming and the early Qing; in its early stage it was a form of yangge called "tiaogao". It later took shape on the basis of the local storytelling-and-singing and the folk song-and-dance of the area, absorbing artistic elements from Xihuo yangge, Shangdang bangzi and others, and reached its height in the middle of the Qing dynasty.
02 · Core Techniques & Process
The vocal style of Xiangwu yangge belongs to the bantang (metrical-tempo) system, and its mode is the zhi mode. In its early period it mainly sang xiaoqu and xiaodiao (little tunes and ditties), and later gradually formed a complete musical system, with twelve basic ban forms such as Liushui (Flowing Water), Luantan (S Miscellaneous Tunes) and Geliaban, together with a number of auxiliary ban forms; it also has music of the qupai (tune-pattern) system. When sung, the rhythm is lively and brisk, and in its loud, passionate declamation it never loses its mellow, turning quality. In its early period the role types of Xiangwu yangge centred on the "three smalls", namely xiaosheng (young male), xiaodan (young female) and xiaochou (small clown); on this basis xusheng (bearded male), qingyi (virtuous woman) and hualian (painted-face) and other role types were later added. Spoken lines are delivered mainly in the Shangdang dialect, the performance form is plain and simple, and it carries a strong flavour of everyday life. Xiangwu yangge has more than 150 traditional repertoire works and more than 250 modern plays extant. Most of them take family life and social life as their subject, their plots are simple and clear, their language is plain and witty, and they fully display the joys and sorrows of ordinary people. Among them, the traditional costume plays such as Jiaqi (Marrying Off the Wife) and Luohua Ji (Record of Fallen Blossoms), and the modern plays such as Wang Gui and Li Xiangxiang and The Marriage of Xiaoerhei, are the most influential representative repertoire works of Xiangwu yangge.
Marrying Off the Wife
Xiangwu yangge has more than 150 traditional repertoire works and more than 250 modern plays extant. Most of them take family life and social life as their subject, their plots are simple and clear, their language is plain and witty, and they fully display the joys and sorrows of ordinary people. Among them, the traditional costume plays such as Jiaqi (Marrying Off the Wife) and Luohua Ji (Record of Fallen Blossoms), and the modern plays such as Wang Gui and Li Xiangxiang and The Marriage of Xiaoerhei, are the most influential representative repertoire works of Xiangwu yangge.
Record of Fallen Blossoms
Xiangwu yangge has more than 150 traditional repertoire works and more than 250 modern plays extant. Most of them take family life and social life as their subject, their plots are simple and clear, their language is plain and witty, and they fully display the joys and sorrows of ordinary people. Among them, the traditional costume plays such as Jiaqi (Marrying Off the Wife) and Luohua Ji (Record of Fallen Blossoms), and the modern plays such as Wang Gui and Li Xiangxiang and The Marriage of Xiaoerhei, are the most influential representative repertoire works of Xiangwu yangge.
Wang Gui and Li Xiangxiang
Xiangwu yangge has more than 150 traditional repertoire works and more than 250 modern plays extant. Most of them take family life and social life as their subject, their plots are simple and clear, their language is plain and witty, and they fully display the joys and sorrows of ordinary people. Among them, the traditional costume plays such as Jiaqi (Marrying Off the Wife) and Luohua Ji (Record of Fallen Blossoms), and the modern plays such as Wang Gui and Li Xiangxiang and The Marriage of Xiaoerhei, are the most influential representative repertoire works of Xiangwu yangge.
The Marriage of Xiaoerhei
Xiangwu yangge has more than 150 traditional repertoire works and more than 250 modern plays extant. Most of them take family life and social life as their subject, their plots are simple and clear, their language is plain and witty, and they fully display the joys and sorrows of ordinary people. Among them, the traditional costume plays such as Jiaqi (Marrying Off the Wife) and Luohua Ji (Record of Fallen Blossoms), and the modern plays such as Wang Gui and Li Xiangxiang and The Marriage of Xiaoerhei, are the most influential representative repertoire works of Xiangwu yangge.
03 · Regional Records & Related Items
Xiangwu yangge is mainly popular in the Shangdang area and the Jinzhong area of Shanxi Province, with Wuxiang County and Xiangyuan County as its two core districts of diffusion; the name "Xiangwu" is taken from Xiangyuan and Wuxiang. It originated in the folk shehuo activities of the late Ming and the early Qing; in its early stage it was a form of yangge called "tiaogao", and it later took shape on the basis of the local storytelling-and-singing and folk song-and-dance, absorbing artistic elements from Xihuo yangge, Shangdang bangzi and others. Its spoken lines are mainly in the Shangdang dialect, and it circulates in the same area alongside Shangdang bangzi.
Other submitting regions for the same item: Yangge Opera · Yangge Opera · Yangge Opera · Yangge Opera · Yangge Opera · Yangge Opera · Yangge Opera · Yangge Opera · Yangge Opera · Yangge Opera · Yangge Opera.
04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding
As society has developed, the living space of Xiangwu yangge has become ever smaller under the impact of modern civilisation. It is gradually declining, and measures are urgently needed to protect it. Ren Senkui (as recorded in the official file of the associated inheritor): From childhood he loved operatic art, and began performing in an amateur rural troupe. He studied the chou role under Guo Xiaojun and Xi Zhagen and trained hard. At the age of 17 he joined the county theatre troupe. Thanks to his good artistic gifts and his diligent study, the level of his performing art rose steadily, and he became a noted actor among the chou performers of dozens of troupes in the Jindong area. His acting is distinctive and full of humorous wit. He has played the bandit company commander in Wang Gui and Li Xiangxiang, the old gambler in Jiaqi, and the warehouse boy Cangwa in Juan Xi Tong. His representative works include Xi Zhong Shu, He Deng Hui, Fu Jia Ying, Pan Shi Ling and Bang Zhu Jie Hun. He worked in the theatre for several decades, studying the craft assiduously in the troupe; after retirement he taught pupils and passed on his skills, took an active part in various artistic performances, and made every effort to transmit the art of yangge. Male, Han, born in July 1932, died in July 2019, a native of Wuxiang County, Shanxi Province. Representative inheritor of yangge opera (Xiangwu yangge) of the third national-level batch of intangible cultural heritage projects.
05 · Associated Representative Bearers
Representative bearers recorded under this item, organized by national nomination batch:
- Liu Qiaoju 02-0601
- Wu Niancheng 02-0602
- Zhang Zhanyuan 02-0603
- Zhang Yuanye 02-0604
- Zhang Fu 03-1060
- Zhang Runlai 03-1061
- Miao Gensheng 03-1062
- Bai Meiyun 03-1063
- Ren Senkui 03-1064
- Wu Yumei 04-1650
- Yang Shengxiang 04-1651
- Wang Zhilan 05-2381
- Sun Guiming 05-2382
- Li Yingying 05-2383
- Qu Dengmei
- Zhang Fenran
06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography
Sources
China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)
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