Bagong
01 · Historical Records
Xar bagong arose in the practice of Tibet's early “ten sciences” and originated in the time of the Tibetan king Trisong Detsen, telling of his building of Samye, the first Buddhist monastery in Tibetan history.
02 · Core Techniques & Process
Sakya county lies in the south-west of Shigatse, on the northern slope of the Himalayas and the southern bank of the Yarlung Tsangpo, its county seat one hundred and fifty kilometres from Shigatse. Its terrain is mainly high mountains and valleys and its economy mainly farming and herding. Sakya is a cultural stronghold of the later Tibet region, and the Sakya monastery, main temple of the Sakya school of Tibetan Buddhism, is there. “Xa” means in Tibetan the place where the sun first rises, and “xar bagong” means auspicious art. It is performed one show each in Ladong village and Nibai village of Mabujia township on the third and fourth days of the Tibetan minor new year, and at no other time or place. Its structure shares features with other Tibetan drama, such as the opening “don”, the plot “xiong” and the auspicious ending “tashi je”, but its dramatic form is entirely different. If the whole repertory is fully extended, the performance reaches twenty-two sections and sixteen segments, and by plot there are nearly sixty kinds of different roles and characters appearing. Its distinctive rich song and dance performance has a strong local rustic flavour, deeply loved by local people, with folk, popular and accessible features: it has a strong rustic flavour and still keeps the early costume, masks, arias, poses and plots of Tibetan opera, its artistic expression distinctive and closely combined with the Tibetan people's religious belief and folk culture, with fairly high historical, cultural and artistic value.
Don, Xiong, Tashi Je (Structure)
Xar bagong's structure shares features with other Tibetan drama, such as the opening “don”, the plot “xiong” and the auspicious ending “tashi je”, but its dramatic form is entirely different.
Twenty-Two Sections and Sixteen Segments
If the whole repertory is fully extended, the performance reaches twenty-two sections and sixteen segments, with nearly sixty kinds of different roles and characters appearing by plot.
Singing, Dance, Rhyme, Speech, Presentation, Technique
In plot expression xar bagong divides into singing, dance, rhyme, speech, presentation and technique, its distinctive rich song and dance performance carrying a strong local rustic flavour.
03 · Regional Records & Related Items
Xar bagong is a traditional Tibetan drama praying for good harvest and auspicious peace, distributed mainly in the two villages of Ladong and Nibai in Mabujia township, Sakya county, Shigatse, Tibet. In its plot expression it may be divided into singing, dance, rhyme, speech, presentation and technique; protecting this cultural heritage plays a positive part in enriching local cultural life, promoting cultural-ethical progress, carrying forward national culture and building a harmonious society.
04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding
A hundred years ago the Sakya monastery monk Baiqiong Ngawang arranged it into a text and spread it to Ladong and Nibai villages of Mabujia township, naming it “xar bagong”. The transmitters interpret “bagong” as tsampa kneaded into balls, symbolising food and drink and a good harvest. At present, under the influence of modern life and with some fairly accomplished artists advanced in years, the project faces a shortage of successors; as protection work deepens, the safeguarding body has strengthened its organisation, funding and talent training. At present the representative transmitters, as lead dancers and masters of ceremonies, lead the amateur xar bagong performing team in performance practice and promotional showcases, organising eight to ten rehearsals a year and having trained six transmitters by master-disciple and family transmission. At the same time Tibet University and the Tibet autonomous region institute of ethnic art research have joined the safeguarding effort, providing academic support for professional protection work.
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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