Manchu Xincheng Opera
01 · Historical Records
Manchu Xincheng opera has its origin in the Manchu eight-cornered drum opera; after more than 200 years of transmission its base is solid and the genre is developing vigorously. In 1795 the "eight-cornered drum" was brought from the capital into the northeast and soon became popular in Xinchengfu, the place where the Manchu have dwelt for generations; merged with local folk songs and shamanic tunes, it formed the Fuyu eight-cornered drum. Operatic elements were absorbed into it in the course of its transmission; by the late Qing and the early Republic it had evolved into eight-cornered drum opera, was deeply loved by audiences and spread widely. In 1959 the Xincheng opera troupe of Fuyu County was founded, and the genre entered the path of professional artistic development. In 1987 the former Jilin Provincial Department of Culture named the genre "Manchu Xincheng opera".
02 · Core Techniques & Process
Manchu Xincheng opera is a Manchu operatic genre of China, born in the former Fuyu County of Jilin Province (now within the jurisdiction of Songyuan City); because Fuyu County was formerly called "Xinchengfu" or "Xincheng County", the genre is called Xincheng opera. The genre is popular in the counties and districts of Songyuan City and in Changchun, Jilin, Baicheng, Siping and other places, radiating its influence to Heilongjiang, Liaoning, Inner Mongolia and many other northern provinces and regions. Its spoken recitation is mainly in Putonghua (Mandarin). Its role types are centred on sheng, dan, jing and chou, and it is good at presenting plot matters of sorrow and joy, separation and reunion, as well as light and happy stories. In performance, on the basis of the singing, recitation, acting and fighting of traditional Chinese opera, it incorporates Manchu dance; by imitating the forms of the animal spirits such as the eagle, the python and the tiger that are revered in Manchu belief, it expresses a style that honours nature and is rugged and martial, while elements such as Manchu dance and Qing court etiquette convey the traits of dignified splendour, elegance and soft beauty. Through the efforts of several generations of artists, more than sixty original plays have been created and nearly ten thousand performances given, with audiences of up to five million, among which Tiexue Nuzhen (Iron-Blood Jurchen) and Hong Hao are fairly well known. Manchu Xincheng opera is rich in cultural meaning and refined in artistic form, and it has played an important part in promoting ethnic unity and the harmonious development of society.
Tiexue Nuzhen (Iron-Blood Jurchen)
Through the efforts of several generations of artists, more than sixty original plays have been created and nearly ten thousand performances given, with audiences of up to five million, among which Tiexue Nuzhen (Iron-Blood Jurchen) and Hong Hao are fairly well known.
Hong Hao
Through the efforts of several generations of artists, more than sixty original plays have been created and nearly ten thousand performances given, with audiences of up to five million, among which Tiexue Nuzhen (Iron-Blood Jurchen) and Hong Hao are fairly well known.
03 · Regional Records & Related Items
Taking the Fuyu eight-cornered drum opera as its basic form, Manchu Xincheng opera continually absorbs Manchu folk music, court music and shamanic music, forming a musical style that combines the banqiang system with the joined-tune system; by performing stories of the northeast region, especially Manchu stories, it shapes vivid character images, expresses the idea of the fusion of ethnic groups and highlights regional characteristics.
04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding
In 2012 the Xincheng opera troupe was renamed the Songyuan City Manchu Xincheng Opera Transmission and Protection Centre, which became the main group transmitting the project. The traditional manner of masters teaching apprentices and of troupes training new companies still plays an important part in the transmission of the project; the centre has four times opened professional classes and has trained more than 200 professional talents of Manchu Xincheng opera. In recent years the relevant units have promoted the transmission and popularisation of the project through many channels and in many forms, by carrying out "into the schools, into the communities" activities and by building training bases for young operatic talent, further consolidating the mass base. It contains many cultural elements such as Fuyu culture, Liao-Jin culture and Central Plains culture; the aesthetic outlook and values it expresses are the crystallisation of the wisdom of the fusion of many ethnic cultures such as the Manchu, Mongolian and Han, and it is a spiritual vehicle and a vivid testimony for forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation.
05 · Associated Representative Bearers
Representative bearers recorded under this item, organized by national nomination batch:
06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography
Sources
China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)
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