Haicheng Laba Opera

01 · Historical Records

Haicheng laba opera circulates widely in Anshan, Haicheng, Yingkou, Dashiqiao and Liaoyang in Liaoning and the surrounding areas; because it first took shape around Niuzhuang in western Haicheng, and its principal instrument the suona is popularly called laba (horn), it is commonly known as Haicheng laba opera. In the Tongzhi and Guangxu reigns of the Qing dynasty, as Haicheng stilt yangge flourished, laba opera moved from ground yangge into the stilt association, ingeniously weaving stilt skills and handkerchief skills into its performance and forming a form of performance combining stilt and play.

02 · Core Techniques & Process

At the end of the Ming and the beginning of the Qing dynasty, Haicheng laba opera first took on the shape of drama. The vocal music of Haicheng laba opera belongs to the qupai (tune-pattern) type, with the liu qiang and the miscellaneous minor tunes forming its important components. Affected by many factors, the traditional repertoire of laba opera is also being lost in large quantities.

03 · Regional Records & Related Items

More than forty traditional plays of Haicheng laba opera survive today, which can roughly be divided into the categories of the one-person play, the two-person play and the three-small play; Wangpo Ma Ji (Old Woman Wang Scolds the Chicken), Shazhu Zi Jie Xifu (Foolish Pillar Takes a Wife), Shenzhou Hui and Ju Da Gang (Mending the Big Crock) are representative works among them. These plays have simple plots and plain language, and most of them reflect the life of the labouring people at the bottom of society; with their popular and entertaining character they are deeply loved by the local masses.

04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding

The artists of Haicheng laba opera remaining today are few in number and all of them are past seventy; this form of drama is transmitted mostly by oral teaching and personal example, and the performers are for the most part part-time farmers who act on the side, which constrains the transmission of laba opera. In this situation it is necessary to formulate measures to rescue and protect the endangered Haicheng laba opera. Zhao Younian (as recorded in the official archive of the associated inheritor): From 1953 to 1960 he served as a laba opera performer in the mass quyi society of the Anshan Xiqu Association and in the Haicheng Pingju troupe. After 1960 he went home to farm, but often performed locally. He plays the gong dan role type, with a handsome appearance, using both the true and the falsetto voice, a clear voice and vivid expression. He adapted a number of Haicheng laba opera scripts, such as The Legend of the White Snake, the Match of Du and Liu and Whipping the Reed Catkins. He is often invited by the local cultural departments to give performance guidance and demonstrations to young actors. Most of the disciples he has taught have become the backbone of performing and transmitting Haicheng laba opera. Male, of Han ethnicity, born in April 1929, died in March 2013, a native of Haicheng county, Liaoning Province. Representative inheritor of Haicheng laba opera, a national-level intangible cultural heritage project of the third national-level batch. Xiao Jie (as recorded in the official archive of the associated inheritor): Female, of Han ethnicity, born in September 1962, a native of Dengta County, Liaoning Province. In the early 1980s she was admitted in turn to the Dengta County Pingju troupe of Liaoning Province and to the Anshan Municipal Quyi Troupe, accumulating a certain amount of experience in dramatic performance. Her skills are all-round, and she is adept at such performance techniques as the handkerchief, the long-distance throw and the opening combat of martial plays. Her voice is high and resonant with a distinctive flavour, and she is skilled in playing such role types as caidan, huadan and xiaodan. Representative inheritor of Haicheng laba opera, a national-level intangible cultural heritage project of the fifth national-level batch. Later she received direct instruction from the Haicheng suona artist Chen Yongping and the laba opera artist Zhang Shaoren, and took Zhao Younian, a national-level inheritor of Haicheng laba opera, as her master, specialising in Haicheng laba opera. In recent years she has taken an active part in reconstructing traditional plays such as Wangpo Ma Ji (Old Woman Wang Scolds the Chicken), Liang Saijin Gan Mian (Liang Saijin Rolling the Dough), Xiao Fangniu (Little Herdsgirl) and The Wall-Top Story, and has carried out protection and transmission work such as taking disciples to teach the art and presenting intangible cultural heritage performances.

05 · Associated Representative Bearers

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

• Zhao Younian 03-1100
• Xiao Jie 05-2430

06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography

1. Haicheng Laba Opera (Anshan, Liaoning) · China ICH Official Project Archive
2. Zhao Younian · National Representative Bearer Archive
3. Xiao Jie · National Representative Bearer Archive

Sources

China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)

Read the official ihchina.cn record ↗