Nuo Opera
01 · Historical Records
Nuo opera originated in remote antiquity; as early as the pre-Qin period there were shaman songs and nuo dances entertaining both gods and people. Qingtan originated on Longhu mountain in Jiangxi and was introduced into western Guizhou at the end of the Ming, appearing in Changba township of Jinsha county in the Qianlong reign of the Qing. Drawing on local materials, Qingtan originated on Jiangxi's Longhu mountain and entered western Guizhou at the end of the Ming, appearing in Changba township, Jinsha county, in the Qianlong reign.
02 · Core Techniques & Process
Nuo opera, also called “nuotang opera” and “duangong opera”, is an operatic form developed by absorbing folk opera on the basis of folk sacrificial rites, widely popular in Anhui, Jiangxi, Hubei, Hunan, Sichuan, Guizhou, Shaanxi and Hebei. Qingtan, also called “celebrating the altar god”, is a ritual folk drama long circulating around Changba township, Jinsha county, Guizhou. It has an origin relationship with the “moralist” strand of Daoism and, for the similarity of its performance, is also called “duangong opera”. Unlike others, Qingtan divides into civil and martial altars and is a dramatic ritual activity able to “deliver both the living and the dead”. The civil altar holds rites for the dead, including all the mourning from death to burial, a funeral rite and god-entertaining activity; the martial altar resembles the duangong dance and is held for vow-making and birthdays, a blessing rite and people-entertaining activity. Qingtan is rich in content and many kinds of martial altar exist: according to the patron's request one may celebrate the Zhaohou, Shiniang, Doudou, Ancestor and other altars, nearly ten in all, each altar's performance having its fixed play and routine, expressing the philosophy of universal animism, the sanctity of life, the equality of all beings and the symbiosis of man and nature, and embodying the consensus of honouring ancestors and the aged, loyalty and filial piety, removing the violent and pacifying the good, and relieving and delivering the people. Qingtan continues to this day several archaic forms and sacred features of ancient nuo sacrifice and possesses the basic elements of traditional opera—singing, recitation, acting and martial skills—with certain fixed conventions. In qupai terms, when Zhaohou appears it sings “Jiangtou Gui”; when the general appears, “Suo Lan Zhi”; in the civil scenes' battlefield, “Yujia Deng”; when scolding the general, “Hongluan Ao”. Its accompaniment is percussion only; its singing and recitation approach Sichuan opera; all roles are male (the occasional female role played by a man in female dress); and it preserves such local feats as “single-horn standing” (placing the mouthpiece of an ox horn on a bowl so that the horn stands upright) and “inverted-paste martial skill” (a performance with five bowls, rice and eggs, also called “continuing the granary”).
Zhaohou, Shiniang, Doudou and Ancestor Altars
Qingtan's martial altars are many; according to the patron's request one may celebrate the Zhaohou, Shiniang, Doudou, Ancestor and other altars, nearly ten in all, each with its fixed play and routine.
Jiangtou Gui, Suo Lan Zhi, Yujia Deng and Hongluan Ao (Qupai)
In qupai terms Qingtan sings “Jiangtou Gui” when Zhaohou appears, “Suo Lan Zhi” for the general, “Yujia Deng” in the civil battlefield scene and “Hongluan Ao” when scolding the general.
03 · Regional Records & Related Items
Qingtan has long circulated around Changba township, Jinsha county, Guizhou, and has an origin relationship with the “moralist” strand of Daoism, hence also being called “duangong opera” for the similarity of its performance; the Jinsha county cultural centre is responsible for the project's protection.
Other submitting regions for the same item: Nuo Opera · Nuo Opera · Nuo Opera · Nuo Opera · Nuo Opera · Nuo Opera · Nuo Opera · Nuo Opera · Nuo Opera · Nuo Opera · Nuo Opera · Nuo Opera · Nuo Opera · Nuo Opera.
04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding
Qingtan is a concrete embodiment of Confucian, Buddhist and Daoist culture in folk circulation and a witness to the interaction of Ba-Shu culture and northern Guizhou culture; it has some reference value for understanding the formation and development of Chinese opera, and its rich functions of entertaining both gods and people satisfy the people's many needs and reflect their yearning for a better life.
05 · Associated Representative Bearers
Representative bearers recorded under this item, organized by national nomination batch:
- Li Zengwang 02-0653
- Liu Chenyu 02-0654
- Yao Jiawei 02-0655
- Long Ziming 02-0656
- Long Kaichun 02-0657
- Li Fuguo 02-0658
- Zhang Yuefu 02-0659
- An Yongbai 02-0660
- Jiang Pinsan 03-1074
- Guixunjin 04-1661
- Su Liwen 04-1662
- Ling Fengying 05-2398
- Tang Maohua 05-2399
- Deng Yushu 05-2400
- Long Jingchang 05-2401
- Nie Mane 05-2402
- Wang Taibao 05-2403
- Yang Chaozhong 05-2404
06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography
Sources
China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)
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