Yong Opera
01 · Historical Records
It originates in Hunan and belongs to the pihuang vocal system; because its centre of activity was the old Yongzhou area and it is sung in Yongzhou (the ancient name of Nanning) mandarin, it was named “Yong opera” after the founding of New China. In the late 1950s and early 1960s central leaders watched such fine Yong opera plays as Lan Ma Passes the Barrier, Si River Pass and The Five Terraces Meeting of Brothers many times, giving high praise.
02 · Core Techniques & Process
Yong opera is one of the four great local genres of Guangxi, formerly called “Guang opera”, “old opera” and “five-six qiang”, and circulates in Guangxi, Guangdong, Yunnan and Guizhou and in Vietnam and Cambodia. Rooted in the folk, it was steadily perfected and matured by generations of artists into a complete set of music and singing, performing conventions and plays with a rich rustic flavour and ethnic character, commanding a huge popular audience and deeply loved by all the peoples of Nanning and its surroundings. It has a deep cultural deposit and considerable influence in South-East Asia; when the troupe performed for the leaders and delegations of Vietnam, Burma, Cambodia, Singapore and other South-East Asian countries it likewise won high praise.
Lan Ma Passes the Barrier
One of the fine plays of Yong opera, highly praised by central leaders in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
Si River Pass
One of the fine plays of Yong opera.
The Five Terraces Meeting of Brothers
One of the fine plays of Yong opera.
Yang Bajie Moves Troops
One of the Yong opera classics led by the inheritor.
Lihua's Crime and Her Son
One of the Yong opera classics led by the inheritor.
Chuncao Storms the Hall
One of the Yong opera classics led by the inheritor.
03 · Regional Records & Related Items
Yong opera centres on Nanning, Guangxi, and is popular in Nanning, Binyang and Hengxian and in southern and western Guangxi, spreading with Guangdong merchants and emigrants to Guangdong, Yunnan and Guizhou and to Vietnam and Cambodia; because it is sung in Yongzhou mandarin its singing and recitation form a line of their own in southern Guangxi and western Guangdong.
04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding
The inheritor has a ringing voice, a nimble stage presence and excellent singing, having led in several dozen Yong opera classics such as Yang Bajie Moves Troops, Lihua's Crime and Her Son and Chuncao Storms the Hall; re-engaged by the Yong opera troupe after retiring, he has taken part in playwriting and the design of singing music. He has jointly created such new plays as The Strange Fate of Longxiang Pagoda, New Sounds of Kaitai, Moving the Jujube Tree and The Village Officials Young and Old, repeatedly winning awards at national and autonomous-region showcases and competitions, Yong opera also receiving the national rare-genre protection award. Committed to training transmitters and taking disciples, he has trained a group of Yong opera successors including the Chinese Drama Plum Blossom Award winner and national first-class actor Liang Sumei and the national second-class actor Yao Yan.
05 · Associated Representative Bearers
Representative bearers recorded under this item, organized by national nomination batch:
- Hong Qi 03-1150
06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography
Sources
China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)
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