Tibetan Opera
01 · Historical Records
Seda Gesar Tibetan opera originated in Zhiqin Monastery in Qinghai Province; in its early stage it was the temple music-and-dance of the cham rite, also called "mask dance". In 1948 the Seda Riluo Living Buddha boldly innovated on the basis of Amdo Tibetan opera, introducing scenic panels, props and string instruments into Tibetan opera and adapting and creating such plays as Zhimei Gengdeng (Lord Zhi-me) and Zhuowa Sangmu (The Princess of the Golden Tent); in the course of this he trained a large number of Tibetan opera performers, so that Tibetan opera spread widely in Seda and became the folk art with the widest reach there.
02 · Core Techniques & Process
It takes the traditional eight great Tibetan operas as its content and is performed during major Buddhist events; in performance it is accompanied by such instruments as the suona, the manghao, drums and cymbals. Seda Tibetan opera is a representative of the northern school of Tibetan opera, with a long history and a marked capacity for innovation. The rich Gesar cultural foundations of Seda County in Sichuan Province and its deep tradition of Tibetan opera laid the groundwork for the formation and development of Gesar Tibetan opera. In 1981 a group of Gesar scholars and Tibetan opera experts headed by the noted Seda County scholar Lama Banma Talo succeeded in transplanting the epic "The Epic of King Gesar" into Tibetan opera; within its distinctive vocal styles they blended such art forms as chega recitation, singing and recitation, folk mountain songs, dance, Gesar recitation, costume display and the telling of folk tales, giving a complete presentation of the deeds of King Gesar and achieving a fine spectator effect. Seda Gesar Tibetan opera has the characteristics of the northern school of Tibetan opera, yet it also goes beyond the confines of the northern school and forms a system of its own. The Seda Gesar Tibetan opera takes the heroic epic "The Epic of King Gesar" as its performance content, letting the audience feel the shattering power of the epic and inspiring people to pursue a good life courageously through art. It releases Tibetan opera from the religious atmosphere of the monastery and turns it into a form of folk art, its content and form tending towards the secular, the human and the popular; this is of major significance for promoting the fine culture of ethnic minorities and advancing the building of a spiritual civilisation in the Tibetan areas.
Zhimei Gengdeng (Lord Zhi-me)
In 1948 the Seda Riluo Living Buddha boldly innovated on the basis of Amdo Tibetan opera, introducing scenic panels, props and string instruments into Tibetan opera and adapting and creating such plays as Zhimei Gengdeng (Lord Zhi-me) and Zhuowa Sangmu (The Princess of the Golden Tent); in the course of this he trained a large number of Tibetan opera performers, so that Tibetan opera spread widely in Seda and became the folk art with the widest reach there.
Zhuowa Sangmu (The Princess of the Golden Tent)
In 1948 the Seda Riluo Living Buddha boldly innovated on the basis of Amdo Tibetan opera, introducing scenic panels, props and string instruments into Tibetan opera and adapting and creating such plays as Zhimei Gengdeng (Lord Zhi-me) and Zhuowa Sangmu (The Princess of the Golden Tent); in the course of this he trained a large number of Tibetan opera performers, so that Tibetan opera spread widely in Seda and became the folk art with the widest reach there.
03 · Regional Records & Related Items
Tibetan opera is transmitted in Seda County of the Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province; it is one line of Tibetan opera whose principal content is the Gesar epic. Seda Gesar Tibetan opera originated in Zhiqin Monastery in Qinghai Province; in its early stage it was the temple music-and-dance of the cham rite, also called "mask dance". In 1948 the Seda Riluo Living Buddha boldly innovated on the basis of Amdo Tibetan opera, introducing scenic panels, props and string instruments into Tibetan opera and adapting and creating such plays as Zhimei Gengdeng (Lord Zhi-me) and Zhuowa Sangmu (The Princess of the Golden Tent), and in the course of this trained a large number of Tibetan opera performers, so that Tibetan opera spread widely in Seda and became the folk art with the widest reach there.
Other submitting regions for the same item: Tibetan Opera · Tibetan Opera · Tibetan Opera · Tibetan Opera · Tibetan Opera · Tibetan Opera · Tibetan Opera · Tibetan Opera · Tibetan Opera · Tibetan Opera · Tibetan Opera · Tibetan Opera.
04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding
Talo (as recorded in the official file of the associated inheritor): Male, of Tibetan nationality, born in April 1936, native of Seda County, Sichuan Province. For several decades he has engaged in the study, performance and transmission of Gesar Tibetan opera. Over the years he has combined writing, directing and acting in a single person, and his transmission of Gesar Tibetan opera has been orderly and clear. He has helped found eighteen Tibetan opera troupes, and the Tibetan opera troupes of other localities that he has helped directly or indirectly are beyond counting. He is still continuing to guide Tibetan opera creation and performance activities. Representative inheritor of the Tibetan opera (Seda Tibetan opera) national-level intangible cultural heritage project in the fifth batch. He led the first Gesar Tibetan opera troupe founded by him on performances at home and abroad, which were highly acclaimed.
05 · Associated Representative Bearers
Representative bearers recorded under this item, organized by national nomination batch:
- Danda 02-0625
- Cidanduoji 02-0626
- Langjieciren 02-0627
- Ciduo 02-0628
- Ciren 02-0629
- Cirenwangdui 02-0630
- Nimaciren 02-0631
- Gamaciren 02-0632
- Baimei 02-0633
- Renqingjia 02-0634
- Duojietai 02-0635
- Ouluxueba 04-1658
- Lixianjia 04-1659
- Taluo 05-2391
- Cairanghuadan 05-2392
- Duodan
- Biandianwangjiu
- Luosangzhaxi
06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography
Sources
China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)
This static English edition is rendered at the edge for search engines, AI crawlers and readers without JavaScript; it mirrors the bilingual dossier. 阅读中文版，或返回 英文名录。