Dianju Opera
01 · Historical Records
Dian opera is the principal local genre of Yunnan, formed in the Daoguang reign of the Qing with a history of nearly two hundred years.
02 · Core Techniques & Process
In the Guangxu reign Dian opera performance was already very flourishing in Yuxi and elsewhere. It is popular throughout Yunnan and in parts of Guizhou and Sichuan, and there is also Dian opera singing in parts of Burma, Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia. Its vocal styles are distinctive and expressive: its three great styles of sixian qiang, huqin qiang and Xiangyang qiang come respectively from such ancient vocal styles as Qin opera, Hui diao and Han diao, and are also nourished by Yunnan's ethnic folk music. Its ban styles are rich and varied and its tunes natural and fluent, able to perform plays of every subject, form, structure and mood, with a distinctive artistic personality and style, hence the praise “the cream of Yunnan”. It is recorded that its traditional repertory ran to as many as one thousand six hundred and fifty-one pieces.
Peacock Ridge
One of the principal representative works of the inheritor.
The Women Generals of the Yang Family
One of the principal representative works of the inheritor.
The Small Sword Society
One of the principal representative works of the inheritor.
Blood on the Pass Mountain
In 1985 the inheritor played the chivalrous woman Luo Xiafei in it, winning first prize for leading performance at the national opera showcase.
The Traditional Repertory (1,651 Pieces)
It is recorded that Dian opera's traditional repertory ran to as many as one thousand six hundred and fifty-one pieces.
03 · Regional Records & Related Items
Through the ages, while staging traditional plays, the artists of every generation have been able to write and perform works reflecting the history and present life of the frontier minorities in the light of the times and local conditions in Yunnan, providing precious material for the study of local history and culture and of the art of the south-western frontier.
Other submitting regions for the same item: Dianju Opera · Dianju Opera.
04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding
The inheritor, a national first-class actor and expert enjoying the State Council special allowance, has a deep grounding in traditional plays and a broad range, giving equal weight to civil and martial parts, the artistic images he shapes being recognised and praised by colleagues, experts and audiences alike; while inheriting Dian opera's traditional technique he has fused the strengths of many schools, cleverly combining vocal coloratura with Li Shaolan's “knot singing” to form a singing style with a distinctive “Dian flavour”, his main representative works including ten plays such as Peacock Ridge, The Women Generals of the Yang Family and The Small Sword Society. In 1979 the modern play Song of Spring that he took part in won first prize for performance at the Yunnan modern plays showcase and third prize at the Ministry of Culture's performance marking the thirtieth anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic; in 1985 his chivalrous woman Luo Xiafei in Blood on the Pass Mountain won first prize for leading performance at the national opera showcase, and in 1992 he won the ninth Chinese Drama Plum Blossom Award and the title of Ministry of Culture outstanding expert. Over the years, besides heavy performing duties, he has coached young actors inside and outside the theatre and amateur Dian opera enthusiasts, winning the Yunnan young actors' competition's nurturing award.
05 · Associated Representative Bearers
Representative bearers recorded under this item, organized by national nomination batch:
- Wang Yuzhen 05-2460
- Liang Zihua 05-2461
- Yang Mao 05-2462
06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography
Sources
China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)
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