Xihe Opera

01 · Historical Records

Xihe opera is also called 'tanqiang daxi' (great metrical play) and is popularly known as 'xingzi daxi'. Because the place where it arose, Xingzi County, lies in the valley of the Xihe River in the lower reaches of the Gan River, it was named 'Xihe opera' in 1982. Xihe opera formed during the Daoguang to Xianfeng reigns of the Qing dynasty and circulated in Xingzi, De'an, Jiujiang, Duchang, Yongxiu and other counties of northern Jiangxi Province.

02 · Core Techniques & Process

The vocal system of Xihe opera is chiefly the metrical system (banqiangti), made up of xipi, gaoqiang, yugu, mountain songs and folk minor tunes; the melodies are high-pitched and uninhibited, deep and plain. The traditional role types of Xihe opera are the 'ten great feet', namely: yi mo (first mo), er jing (second jing), san sheng (third sheng), si dan (fourth dan), wu lao (fifth lao), liu wai (sixth wai), qi chou (seventh chou), ba tie (eighth tie), jiu xiao (ninth xiao) and shi za (tenth za). Xihe opera divides the use of the voice into three kinds: the sheng and chou roles sing in the 'natural tone'; the dan and small sheng roles use the 'side tone', the last sound of each sung phrase being drawn out in the falsetto; the jing role uses the 'edge tone', makes distinctive use of 'interloping with the local dialect', and adds a large quantity of interjections. The traditional accompanying instrument of Xihe opera is also rather distinctive, the small-tube qin (xitong qin). The performance of Xihe opera is plain and bold, and it has many conventional formats; for instance when a character comes on stage there are such types as 'standing on the way' (zhiandao), 'striding through the stage door' (kuamendao) and 'announcing the descent onto the stage' (dianjiangdao). Its performance movements fall into four large sets, namely the 'eight great post-gates' (Badia Zhuangmen), the 'ten great hand methods' (Shida Shoufa), the 'six great waist forms' (Liuda Yaoshi) and the 'thirteen great step patterns' (Shisan San Dufa). There are also many complete sets of movements, such as 'raising the mane' (qiba), 'the falling-painting posture' (die huashi), 'opening the four gates' (kai simen), 'preparing the horse' (beima) and 'washing the horse' (xima). Martial display comprises 'mutual killing' (xiangsha), 'striking and grappling' (da boshou), 'whipping the knot' (da niujie), 'wielding the sabre' (shu dao), 'wielding the spear' (shu qiang), 'wielding the sword' (shu jian), 'practising boxing' (shuiquan), 'comparing six-linked spears' (bi liuhe qiang), 'comparing six-linked sabres' (bi liuhe dao), 'comparing the staff' (bi gun), 'comparing the whip' (bi jian) and 'comparing twin swords' (bi shuangjian). The traditional plays of Xihe opera are mostly historical robe-and-belt plays; The Register of the Upright Official (Qingguan Ce), Crossing Zhaoguan (Guo Zhaoguan), Three Passes Summon the Generals (Sanguan Diao Jiang), White Tiger Pass (Baihu Guan), Second Entry into the Palace (Erjingong), Xu Ce's Run Round the City (Xu Ce Paocheng), The Son Refused in the Second Hall (Ertang Shezi) and Full-House Happiness (Mantang Fu) are performed fairly often.

03 · Regional Records & Related Items

Xihe opera is also called 'tanqiang daxi' and is popularly known as 'xingzi daxi'. Because the place where it arose, Xingzi County, lies in the valley of the Xihe River in the lower reaches of the Gan River, it was named 'Xihe opera' in 1982. It formed during the Daoguang to Xianfeng reigns of the Qing dynasty and circulated in Xingzi, De'an, Jiujiang, Duchang, Yongxiu and other counties of northern Jiangxi Province; its vocal system is chiefly the metrical system, made up of xipi, gaoqiang, yugu, mountain songs and folk minor tunes, with melodies that are high-pitched and uninhibited, deep and plain. Locally, the Xihe opera promotion association and the amateur troupes around Xingzi serve as the main vehicles of its activity.

04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding

The Xihe opera heritage of Xingzi is rich and has important cultural value, but audiences are dwindling day by day, and it urgently needs protection and transmission. Cheng Jiaxun (as recorded in the official file of the associated inheritor): male, Han, born in April 1942, native of Xingzi County, Jiangxi Province. From 1989 he has worked full time on the transmission and teaching of Xihe opera, and serves as the chief drum leader (sigu) of the Xihe Opera Promotion Association of Xingzi County. Representative inheritor of Xihe opera, a national-level intangible cultural heritage project in the fifth batch. He began to learn to sing Xihe opera in 1955 and was formally apprenticed to Cheng Shiliu (fifth-generation inheritor of Xihe opera). In 1980 he took part in Xihe opera training and played Liu Bei in The Yellow Crane Tower (Huanghe Lou), winning the title of outstanding performer. In 1981 he took part in the Jiujiang City artistic exchange performance and played Li Guang in Li Guang Urges the Tribute (Li Guang Cuigong), winning the outstanding performer award. In 1989 he took part in the Xingzi County artistic exchange show and played Ma Chao in The Night Battle with Ma Chao (Ye Zhan Ma Chao), winning the outstanding performer award. In 2001 he took part in the Jiujiang City farmers' art festival and played Yao Qi in Ascending the Terrace (Shang Tiantai), winning third prize. In 2007 he played the drum leader at the local-opera exchange performance of the counties and cities of Jiujiang City, and was well received.

05 · Associated Representative Bearers

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

• Cheng Jiaxun 05-2468
• Huang Juzhi

06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography

1. Xihe Opera (Xingzi, Jiangxi) · China ICH Official Project Archive
2. Cheng Jiaxun · National Representative Bearer Archive

Sources

China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)

Read the official ihchina.cn record ↗