Yangge Opera
01 · Historical Records
Zezhou yangge originated as the “ground-circle yangge” sung in rites to the gods and in Lantern Festival shehuo, developed by absorbing nourishment from Shangdang bangzi; it took shape in the late Qianlong reign of the Qing (before 1795) and circulates in Zezhou county, the urban district of Jincheng, Gaoping city, Yangcheng, Lingchuan and Qinshui. Drawing on the Shanxi volume of the Annals of Chinese Xiqu, it formed before 1795 and spread across Zezhou, the Jincheng urban district, Gaoping, Yangcheng, Lingchuan and Qinshui.
02 · Core Techniques & Process
Zezhou yangge uses only martial-band music and no string accompaniment, hence also called “dry-plank yangge”. It belongs to the banqiang form, most of its plays being dominated by singing with very little recitation, some sung right through without any recitation. Its repertory includes more than two hundred plays such as Da Bangchui, Da Suanzao, Xiaogu Xian, Da You Tang Duan, Sha Gou Quan Qi, San Niang Jiao Zi, Xi Ri and Xin Yanggong. Its subjects are mostly family conflict, marital dispute and the rewarding of good and punishment of evil. It carries a strong rustic flavour and, being close to the masses and to life, has a deep popular base. A folk saying runs “yangge everywhere and plays everywhere, everyone can sing a line or two, on stage at night, on the ground by day”. It may be said to reflect the thoughts and feelings of the people of Zezhou and is an indispensable part of their cultural life. Its subjects are mostly family conflict and marital dispute, its plots simple and its language plain and humorous, preserving more than two hundred plays.
Da Bangchui (Beating with the Laundry Club)
One of the more than two hundred plays of Zezhou yangge, on family conflict and marital dispute.
Da Suanzao (Beating the Wild Jujubes)
One of the more than two hundred plays of Zezhou yangge.
Xiaogu Xian (The Virtuous Sister-in-Law)
One of the more than two hundred plays of Zezhou yangge, on family relations.
Da You Tang Duan (The Judgment in the Oil Hall)
One of the more than two hundred plays of Zezhou yangge.
Sha Gou Quan Qi (Killing the Dog to Admonish the Wife)
One of the more than two hundred plays of Zezhou yangge, on family ethics.
San Niang Jiao Zi (Third Mother Teaches Her Son)
One of the more than two hundred plays of Zezhou yangge, on family ethics.
Xi Ri (The Wedding Day)
One of the more than two hundred plays of Zezhou yangge.
Xin Yanggong (The New Shepherd)
One of the more than two hundred plays of Zezhou yangge.
03 · Regional Records & Related Items
Zezhou yangge is distributed across Zezhou, the urban district, Gaoping, Yangcheng, Lingchuan and Qinshui within Jincheng, and is an important branch of Shangdang-region yangge; local dialect and troupe traditions give slight differences in vocal detail, but all share dry-plank singing and the dominance of singing over recitation.
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
With subjects of family conflict, marital dispute and the rewarding of good and punishing of evil, Zezhou yangge reflects the thoughts and feelings of the people of Zezhou; the folk saying “yangge everywhere and plays everywhere, everyone can sing a line or two” shows its deep popular base, and it has value for folklore and operatic research. The Zezhou county cultural centre sustains the genre through recording and collation and through amateur troupe performances.
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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