Qinanxiaoqu
01 · Historical Records
According to tradition, this northwest folk shuaying form took shape in the middle of the Ming dynasty and to this day has a history of more than five hundred years. The traditional repertory of Qin'an xiaoqu was accumulated over different historical periods. Besides Yuban Tuopa, said to have been composed in the [siliu yuediao] mode by Hu Zuanzong, the founder of this genre, it includes Xia Dengke, Zhaojun He Fan and Chongtai Zeng Chai, composed by Zhang Sicheng during the Jiaqing reign of the Qing dynasty, together with Boya Fuqin, Wang Xiang Wo Bing, Zhuangyuan Jita and Baibaoxiang and many other pieces widely sung since the Republican period. In the 1960s and 1970s, Qin'an xiaoqu was consigned to the "cold palace" and its development came to a standstill.
02 · Core Techniques & Process
Qin'an xiaoqu is also known as "Qin'an laodiao" and is current mainly in Qin'an County of Tianshui City in southeastern Gansu Province and its surrounding areas. Qin'an xiaoqu is sung in the local Qin'an dialect. In performance, either one person plays a zhong sanxian (three-string fiddle) to accompany his own singing, or two people share a sanxian and a shuaizi (bronze clapper) in antiphonal duet, or several people share sanxian, shuaizi and four pieces of roof tile and sing in turns. Its vocal style belongs to the linked tune-pattern form, divided into "da diao" (large tunes) and "xiao diao" (small tunes). The tune patterns in common use number more than forty, including [yuediao], [yuewei], [chuanzi yuediao], [siliu yuediao], [beigong], [beiwei], [danbeigong] and [sandao man]. The lyrics of Qin'an xiaoqu are mostly in long-and-short lines, and there are also five-syllable, seven-syllable, eight-syllable and ten-syllable forms. Tune patterns using long-and-short lines include [cha'er qu], [jiang ye xiang], [qian bei gong] and [matou diao]; those using seven-syllable lines include [shang shuluo], [qunzi diao] and [shipian]; those using eight-syllable lines include [le yi le]; and those using ten-syllable lines include [xia shuluo], among others. The texts are concise and rhythmically strong, generally rhyming on a single rhyme from beginning to end, easy to sing and pleasing to the ear, and possessed of musical beauty. The formats of words and music are rigorous and the structure complete: for each tune pattern, the number of lines and the number of characters per line are strictly prescribed and must not be violated.
The Jade Wrist Supports the Handkerchief
The traditional repertory of Qin'an xiaoqu was accumulated over different historical periods. Besides Yuban Tuopa, said to have been composed in the [siliu yuediao] mode by Hu Zuanzong, the founder of this genre, it includes Xia Dengke, Zhaojun He Fan and Chongtai Zeng Chai, composed by Zhang Sicheng during the Jiaqing reign of the Qing dynasty, together with Boya Fuqin, Wang Xiang Wo Bing, Zhuangyuan Jita and Baibaoxiang and many other pieces widely sung since the Republican period.
Passing the Provincial Examination
The traditional repertory of Qin'an xiaoqu was accumulated over different historical periods. Besides Yuban Tuopa, said to have been composed in the [siliu yuediao] mode by Hu Zuanzong, the founder of this genre, it includes Xia Dengke, Zhaojun He Fan and Chongtai Zeng Chai, composed by Zhang Sicheng during the Jiaqing reign of the Qing dynasty, together with Boya Fuqin, Wang Xiang Wo Bing, Zhuangyuan Jita and Baibaoxiang and many other pieces widely sung since the Republican period.
Zhaojun Goes to the Frontier
The traditional repertory of Qin'an xiaoqu was accumulated over different historical periods. Besides Yuban Tuopa, said to have been composed in the [siliu yuediao] mode by Hu Zuanzong, the founder of this genre, it includes Xia Dengke, Zhaojun He Fan and Chongtai Zeng Chai, composed by Zhang Sicheng during the Jiaqing reign of the Qing dynasty, together with Boya Fuqin, Wang Xiang Wo Bing, Zhuangyuan Jita and Baibaoxiang and many other pieces widely sung since the Republican period.
The Hairpin Given on the Twin Terraces
The traditional repertory of Qin'an xiaoqu was accumulated over different historical periods. Besides Yuban Tuopa, said to have been composed in the [siliu yuediao] mode by Hu Zuanzong, the founder of this genre, it includes Xia Dengke, Zhaojun He Fan and Chongtai Zeng Chai, composed by Zhang Sicheng during the Jiaqing reign of the Qing dynasty, together with Boya Fuqin, Wang Xiang Wo Bing, Zhuangyuan Jita and Baibaoxiang and many other pieces widely sung since the Republican period.
Bo Ya Playing the Zither
The traditional repertory of Qin'an xiaoqu was accumulated over different historical periods. Besides Yuban Tuopa, said to have been composed in the [siliu yuediao] mode by Hu Zuanzong, the founder of this genre, it includes Xia Dengke, Zhaojun He Fan and Chongtai Zeng Chai, composed by Zhang Sicheng during the Jiaqing reign of the Qing dynasty, together with Boya Fuqin, Wang Xiang Wo Bing, Zhuangyuan Jita and Baibaoxiang and many other pieces widely sung since the Republican period.
Wang Xiang Lying on the Ice
The traditional repertory of Qin'an xiaoqu was accumulated over different historical periods. Besides Yuban Tuopa, said to have been composed in the [siliu yuediao] mode by Hu Zuanzong, the founder of this genre, it includes Xia Dengke, Zhaojun He Fan and Chongtai Zeng Chai, composed by Zhang Sicheng during the Jiaqing reign of the Qing dynasty, together with Boya Fuqin, Wang Xiang Wo Bing, Zhuangyuan Jita and Baibaoxiang and many other pieces widely sung since the Republican period.
The Top Scholar Sacrifices at the Pagoda
The traditional repertory of Qin'an xiaoqu was accumulated over different historical periods. Besides Yuban Tuopa, said to have been composed in the [siliu yuediao] mode by Hu Zuanzong, the founder of this genre, it includes Xia Dengke, Zhaojun He Fan and Chongtai Zeng Chai, composed by Zhang Sicheng during the Jiaqing reign of the Qing dynasty, together with Boya Fuqin, Wang Xiang Wo Bing, Zhuangyuan Jita and Baibaoxiang and many other pieces widely sung since the Republican period.
The Hundred-Treasure Chest
The traditional repertory of Qin'an xiaoqu was accumulated over different historical periods. Besides Yuban Tuopa, said to have been composed in the [siliu yuediao] mode by Hu Zuanzong, the founder of this genre, it includes Xia Dengke, Zhaojun He Fan and Chongtai Zeng Chai, composed by Zhang Sicheng during the Jiaqing reign of the Qing dynasty, together with Boya Fuqin, Wang Xiang Wo Bing, Zhuangyuan Jita and Baibaoxiang and many other pieces widely sung since the Republican period.
03 · Regional Records & Related Items
Qin'an xiaoqu is centred on Qin'an County of Tianshui City in Gansu Province and also reaches neighbouring counties and districts such as Tianshui, Qingshui and Zhuanglang, where local people call it "Qin'an laodiao". Singing is usually done in courtyards, halls, teahouses and rural temple fairs; on birthdays, weddings and festival days the music lovers sit in a circle, either with one person playing a zhong sanxian to accompany his own singing, or with two people sharing a sanxian and a shuaizi (bronze clapper) in antiphonal duet, or with several people sharing sanxian, shuaizi and four pieces of roof tile and singing in turns. It belongs to the quzi gathering (quzi hui), a form of self-amusement that is very strong in character. In the 1960s and 1970s this genre once fell into abeyance; after the 1980s the veteran performers steadily dwindled and only a handful of enthusiasts remained. The Qin'an County Cultural Centre is the protecting unit for this project, responsible for collecting and transmitting its tune patterns and lyrics.
04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding
Since the 1980s the veteran performers of Qin'an xiaoqu have steadily dwindled and only a few enthusiasts are left; this precious form of northwest folk quyi is facing a crisis of survival, may vanish at any moment, and urgently needs rescue and protection.
06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography
Sources
China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)
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