Errentai
01 · Historical Records
Donglu errentai is a folk art combining narrative-singing, dance and performance, popularly called “bengbenger” and “wanyi’er”; it took shape in the early Republican period and only from the 1950s was it called “donglu errentai”. After the 1950s it revived; in the 1960s such traditional plays as Zou Kouwai and Mai Lü first appeared on the autonomous region's stage; in the 1970s and 1980s short plays flourished and professional troupes were formed. Drawing on the Inner Mongolia volume of the Annals of Chinese Xiqu, it took shape in the early Republic and was named in the 1950s; in the 1960s traditional plays first reached the regional stage and in the 1970s and 1980s professional troupes were founded.
02 · Core Techniques & Process
It spreads across Ulanqab city east of Zhuozishan in Inner Mongolia and the neighbouring Zhangbei, Shangyi and Kangbao counties of Hebei and Datong and Yanggao in Shanxi. It has civil and martial bands and “lang” and “yun” schools. More than seventy traditional plays are commonly staged, representative works including Xiao Fangniu, Mai Matang, Hui Guannan and Mai Wan. It divides into civil and martial bands with “lang” and “yun” schools, has more than seventy commonly staged traditional plays, and its singing is accompanied by the “mei” flute, sihu and yangqin, its recitation mainly in the western Inner Mongolian Chinese dialect.
Xiao Fangniu (The Little Cowherd)
A representative play among donglu errentai's more than seventy commonly staged traditional plays.
Mai Matang (Selling Sesame Candy)
A representative play among donglu errentai's commonly staged traditional plays.
Hui Guannan (Returning South of the Pass)
A representative play among donglu errentai's commonly staged traditional plays.
Mai Wan (Selling Bowls)
A representative play among donglu errentai's commonly staged traditional plays.
03 · Regional Records & Related Items
Its subjects mostly reflect the life and love of the local working people, in plain and easily understood language with a rich rustic flavour and interest of life. Donglu errentai spreads across the Ulanqab area east of Zhuozishan in Inner Mongolia and the Zhangbei, Shangyi and Kangbao counties of Hebei and Datong and Yanggao in Shanxi, sharing an origin with xilu errentai but with different emphases in tune and repertory.
Other submitting regions for the same item: Errentai · Errentai · Errentai · Errentai · Errentai.
04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding
Gao Lemei (as recorded in the official dossier of an associated inheritor): male, Mongol, born in November 1935 in Shangdu county, Inner Mongolia. In 1958 he entered the Shangdu county donglu errentai troupe as director and later taught at an art school. After retiring in 1992 he began collating traditional plays and tunes, creating or adapting more than fifty scripts. Eleven donglu errentai vocal pieces he sang were included in the seven national art compendia, and he supplied material for the Inner Mongolia volumes of the Collected Chinese Folk Songs, the Annals of Chinese Xiqu and the Collected Music of Chinese Xiqu. He is a representative inheritor of errentai (donglu errentai) in the fifth batch of national intangible cultural heritage projects, won the outstanding contribution award for forty years in the art from the Inner Mongolia branch of the Chinese Dramatists Association in 1995, and in 2004 received the outstanding contribution award for folk literature and art from the Inner Mongolia Federation of Literary and Art Circles and the Inner Mongolia Folk Artists Association. Donglu errentai is noted for subjects reflecting the life and love of the local working people, in plain language and with a strong rustic flavour; the Ulanqab City Ethnic Art Theatre sustains the genre through reviving plays and training talent.
05 · Associated Representative Bearers
Representative bearers recorded under this item, organized by national nomination batch:
- Feng Laisuo 02-0611
- Shi Wanfu 02-0612
- Feng Juncai 02-0613
- Wu Liping 03-1065
- Du Huanrong 03-1066
- Jia Deyi 03-1067
- Danwenzhen 03-1068
- Xu Yueying 04-1654
- Huo Banzhu 04-1655
- Gaolemei 05-2387
- Zhang Meilan
- Hao Yunjing
- Duan Bawang
06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography
Sources
China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)
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