Meihuquzi

01 · Historical Records

The Hu County quzi of Shaanxi Province is current mainly in Hu County, Meixian County and elsewhere; it sprouted during the Zhengde reign of the Ming dynasty, took shape at the beginning of the Qing dynasty, and has a history of more than three hundred years to the present.

02 · Core Techniques & Process

Hu County quzi is performed in the seated singing manner of qingqu; the performers wear no makeup, and the form is commonly called “ditanzi” (ground stall); it is performed mostly on festival occasions, at temple fairs, and at weddings and funerals. In performance the sanxian is the principal accompanying instrument, with the banhu, the dizi, the siye wa and the chuangling as auxiliary instruments; sometimes clappers are added as well. The vocal music of Hu County quzi belongs to the qupai (linked tune-pattern) system and includes 36 major tunes and 72 minor tunes. The major tunes are relatively ancient, with complex musical structures, highly varied melodies and long, lingering drawn-out cadenzas that make them difficult to sing; the minor tunes are mostly folk ditties, compact in structure and smooth in melody. In performance the singers of Hu County quzi generally choose, according to the content, tunes whose musical mood is suited to it, and then combine those tunes in an organic way so that they can fully express a whole scene or the inner psychological course of a character; Wu Geng Niao (The Bird in the Fifth Watch), for instance, uses nine tune patterns including [Yue diao], [Man Wugeng], [Gang diao] and [Xi Qiuqian], while Bai Xi Tu (Hundred Acrobatics) goes further and uses eleven tune patterns including [Yue diao], [Yin Niusi] and [Laozi]. The linking of tune suites follows rules of its own, at once flexible and strict: if the opening phrase uses [Yue diao], the closing section must also use [Yue diao]; if the opening phrase uses [Beiwei], the closing phrase is likewise [Beiwei], and so on.

03 · Regional Records & Related Items

More than one hundred and fifty traditional repertoire works of Hu County quzi are known, among them Huanggu Chujia (The Imperial Princess Leaves the Convent), Guafu Yantian (The Widow Inspects the Field), Qin Qiong Guanzhen (Qin Qiong Views the Battle Array), Wang Danniang Dingguang (Madam Wang Holds Up the Stone Jar) and Yanta Si Jiling (Rite for the Dead at Yanta Temple); according to their subject matter they fall into five main classes, namely customs, historical romance, legend, the supernatural, and opening ditties.

04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding

At present the transmission of Hu County quzi faces difficulties; it urgently needs active support and protection from the relevant departments. Lu Dengrong (as recorded in the official file of the associated inheritor): Male, Han nationality, born in December 1935, native of Hu County, Shaanxi Province. His voice is deep and vigorous, combining strength with gentleness; it expresses both sound and feeling and is extremely moving. In performance he integrates instrumental playing with singing, and is able to perform dozens of repertoire works and more than a hundred tunes with ease. The representative repertoire works in which he excels include Funu Shengchan (Women in Childbirth), Songlang Canjun (Seeing the Recruit Off to Join the Army), Baxian Qingshou (The Eight Immortals Celebrating a Birthday), Laolong Kuhai (The Old Dragon Weeps at the Sea), Man Wugeng and Wu Geng Niao. He performs for the local masses year round, actively carries out teaching and training activities for Meihu quzi, and voluntarily trains and coaches a large group of Meihu quzi enthusiasts. He has taken part many times in national academic symposia and exchange performances on quzi, and has devoted himself to the transmission and dissemination of Meihu quzi. He is a representative inheritor of Meihu quzi in the fifth batch of national-level intangible cultural heritage items.

05 · Associated Representative Bearers

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

• Lu Dengrong 05-2517

06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography

1. Meihuquzi (Hu, Shaanxi) · China ICH Official Project Archive
2. Lu Dengrong · National Representative Bearer Archive

Sources

China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)

Read the official ihchina.cn record ↗