Baizi Opera

01 · Historical Records

Baizi opera is a local genre performed in the Haifeng and Lufeng dialects of Guangdong. It flowed into the Hailufeng area and other parts of eastern Guangdong from southern Fujian in the late Yuan and early Ming periods, and later took in folk arts such as bamboo-horse dance, qian drum, fishing songs and Chao opera music, changed to singing in the local dialect, and gradually formed its own stylistic character. At first both Baizi opera and Chao opera were called Baizi: Baizi opera was named "Hailufeng Baizi" and also "Nanxia Baizi", while Chao opera was named "Chaozhou Baizi" and also "Dingtou Baizi"; later the name Baizi came to be used exclusively for Hailufeng Baizi. It has a close line of transmission with Zhengzi opera, which is likewise current in Hailufeng, and hence formed the performance custom known as "reversal at midnight".

02 · Core Techniques & Process

At first both Baizi opera and Chao opera were called Baizi: Baizi opera was named "Hailufeng Baizi" and also "Nanxia Baizi"; Chao opera was named "Chaozhou Baizi" and also "Dingtou Baizi"; later the name Baizi came to be used exclusively for Hailufeng Baizi. The vocal structure of Baizi opera is based mainly on the linked-set form of tune patterns, with some metrical-class vocal styles as well. Its music is beautiful, and it has forms and features such as linked melodies, gun chang (free-rhythm singing over a tune) and one voice leading a chorus. The traditional band has seven players, popularly called "seven seats of the chair"; the instruments include a pair of drums (large drum and drum head), a pair of wind instruments (first wind and second wind), a pair of gongs (first gong and second gong) and one set of large cymbals. Later both the civilian and the martial sections added instruments. In Baizi opera the spoken lines use the Hailufeng dialect, and there are seven role types — sheng, dan, chou, jing (painted face), gong (male comic), po (old woman) and tie (young woman) — while the performance conventions are strict without being stiff, combining singing and dancing and full of the flavour of everyday life. Combat scenes use the southern school of martial arts, and the stage design is plain, which makes the company easy to move around. Baizi opera is distinguished in the performance of civil plays, and has also taken in some outline-based martial plays from Zhengzi opera; it is good at plays of youthful love, with many full-length plays and comparatively few excerpt plays. Its repertoire falls into two main classes, small-gong plays and large-gong plays; the small-gong plays in turn divide into main-form small-gong plays, fanxian plays and folk-song-and-ditties plays. The vocal styles of small-gong plays are lively and bright, rich in the flavour of life and in local colour; the music of large-gong plays is solemn and refined, carrying the characteristics of gaoqiang music. The principal Baizi plays are collectively called the "Eight Linked Plays", comprising Yingtai lian (Tongchuang Ji), Chensan lian (Lijing Ji), Gaowenju lian (Zhenzh Ji), Qin Xuemei lian (Sanyuan Ji), Jiang Xingge lian (Zhenzh Shan), Wang Shuangfu lian (Linjiang Lou), Yuan Wenzheng lian (Huanhun), Cui Mingfeng lian and others; in addition there are fine traditional plays such as Baihe Si, Bai She Zhuan, Fangyou Ji, Shuqin Yuan, Tianmen Zhen and Bailuoyi, as well as modern plays such as Jin Juhua and Hong Shanhu. From the founding of the People's Republic of China to the early years of reform and opening up, Baizi opera enjoyed a period of development and prosperity; later, as the entertainment industry grew and tastes diversified, its performance market gradually shrank, and its traditional repertoire, its distinctive role-type art and other stage arts have now come close to disappearing.

03 · Regional Records & Related Items

Baizi opera is a local genre performed in the Haifeng and Lufeng dialects of Guangdong. It flowed into the Hailufeng area and other parts of eastern Guangdong from southern Fujian in the late Yuan and early Ming periods, later took in folk arts such as bamboo-horse dance, qian drum, fishing songs and Chao opera music, changed to singing in the local dialect, and gradually formed its own stylistic character. Baizi opera has a close line of transmission with Zhengzi opera, which is likewise current in Haifeng and Lufeng, and hence formed the performance custom of "reversal at midnight": in the first half of the night Mandarin is spoken and outline-based martial plays inherited from Zhengzi opera are performed; in the second half of the night the local dialect is spoken and civil plays of Baizi opera are performed.

04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding

Wu Peijin (official archive record of the associated inheritor): Male, Han nationality, born in 1972, native of Haifeng, Guangdong. After graduation he performed with a company, serving in turn as an actor in the martial male role and in the clown role. He has inherited in a relatively complete way the traditional art of Baizi opera's clown and martial male roles, and on this basis has achieved some innovation and breakthroughs. Representative works include Fang Shiyu Da Lei (Fang Shiyu Takes the Boxing Ring) and Yan Qing Da Lei (Yan Qing Takes the Boxing Ring). Representative inheritor of the second national-level batch of the intangible cultural heritage project Baizi Opera; national second-grade actor. Zhong Jingjie (official archive record of the associated inheritor): Female, Han nationality, born in 1971, native of Haifeng, Guangdong. Her stage appearance is striking and her movements are supple; she is especially skilled in the silk scarf and the water sleeve, and her singing is rounded and delicate, with clear diction, pure tone and a strong sense of rhythm. Representative works include Cui Junrui Xi Qi (Cui Junrui Divorcing His Wife). Representative inheritor of the second national-level batch of the intangible cultural heritage project Baizi Opera.

05 · Associated Representative Bearers

Representative bearers recorded under this item, organized by national nomination batch:

• Wu Peijin 02-0614
• Zhong Jingjie 02-0615

06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography

1. Baizi Opera (Haifeng, Guangdong) · China ICH Official Project Archive
2. Wu Peijin · National Representative Bearer Archive
3. Zhong Jingjie · National Representative Bearer Archive

Sources

China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)

Read the official ihchina.cn record ↗