Qinghai Yuexian

01 · Historical Records

Qinghai yuexian was introduced into Qinghai from Shaanxi in the middle of the Qing dynasty. Over its long transmission, performers took in large quantities of Qinghai folk xiaoze and ancient quzi, enriching and reshaping the original yuexian in respect of language, melodic contour, vocal style and overall character, until it became a local tune form with an identity of its own. More than one hundred traditional Qinghai yuexian pieces have been recorded. Most of them draw their subject matter from Tang and Song chuanqi narratives, Jin and Yuan zaju plays and Ming and Qing novels, and they are especially strong in the depiction of folk life; representative works include The Virtuous Young Sister-in-Law, The Tale of the Marked Bowl and Autumn Lotus Gathers Firewood.

02 · Core Techniques & Process

Qinghai yuexian is also called "yuediao", "yubeidiao" or "beidiao", and is recorded as "yuediao" (with yue read as moon), "quzi" or "zuochang meihu". It circulates mainly in the agricultural districts of eastern Qinghai, and is concentrated especially around Xining in the Hehuang Valley and its subordinate Datong County, Huangzhong County and Huangyuan County. Qinghai yuexian is sung above all to narrate the plot of a story. Its lyrics are plain and readily singable, and the structure of a singing section follows fixed rules: the beginning uses the qiancha diao, immediately followed by the qianbeigong diao; the ending uses the houcha diao, with the houbeigong diao placed before it; the central body of the piece selects tunes according to what the content requires. The vocal music of Qinghai yuexian is rich. More than fifty tune patterns have been recorded. These tunes are beautiful and moving, flowing and expansive, combining the forceful and the gentle, and they have varied powers of expression, serving both narration and lyrical expression. In performance the singer comes on stage holding a pair of clappers colloquially called "shuizi", using them both to mark the beat and as stage props. Besides these, the accompanying instruments used during singing include the banhu, erhu, yangqin, sanxian and bangzi.

03 · Regional Records & Related Items

As an important carrier of the historical and cultural life of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, Qinghai yuexian has had a certain influence on the values and outlook on life of local residents and on the formation of local folk customs and mores.

04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding

As an important folk art heritage, it also has research value in such fields as musicology and the study of quci, and it provides precious research material for the spread of Central Plains culture on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and for the history of the migration and evolution of the Qinghai peoples. At present Qinghai pingxian faces a crisis of survival; its transmission and development are beset by difficulties, and it is in urgent need of protection. Li Deshun (official archive record of the associated inheritor): his voice is high and resonant, his diction is clear, his singing accurate in tone and rich in feeling. Between 1978 and 1985, the traditional lyrics and musical scores of Qinghai yuexian and Qinghai pingxian that he collated were included in Selected Folk Quyi of Qinghai Province, Huangzhong Album and Yuexian Music. Male, of Han nationality, born in September 1925, died in August 2011, native of Huangzhong County, Qinghai Province. Representative inheritor of Qinghai yuexian in the third batch of national-level intangible cultural heritage projects. He took part in the provincial quyi concert of Qinghai Province organized by the former Qinghai Provincial Department of Culture, accompanying A Load of Water and String Sounds on a Cold Night, and won first and second prizes respectively. Liu Shihong (official archive record of the associated inheritor): male, of Han nationality, born in April 1970, native of Xining, Qinghai Province. His singing is impassioned and stirring, flowing and beautiful, with firm articulation, distinctive flavour, accurate tone and strong stage presence; it has a style of its own and is deeply loved by the public. He learns instrumental performance alongside singing, and has mastered the playing techniques of instruments such as the sanxian and the banhu. He has repeatedly represented Qinghai Province at national drama and quyi performance events and won prizes, and has created works such as The Perils of Close-kin Marriage and I Want to Go to the Performance. Representative inheritor of Qinghai yuexian in the fifth batch of national-level intangible cultural heritage projects.

05 · Associated Representative Bearers

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

• Li Deshun 03-1201
• Liu Shihong 05-2519

06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography

1. Qinghai Yuexian (Xining, Qinghai) · China ICH Official Project Archive
2. Li Deshun · National Representative Bearer Archive
3. Liu Shihong · National Representative Bearer Archive

Sources

China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)

Read the official ihchina.cn record ↗