Tunliu Daoqing
01 · Historical Records
According to reckoning, in the Guangxu reign of the Qing dynasty Tunliu Daoqing was already flourishing in the Tunliu and Zhangzi area, so it has a history of at least 140 years.
02 · Core Techniques & Process
Because its early singing used a great many Daoist musical elements, and the vocal style of the singing gave much the same aural impression as the chanting of scriptures and the preaching of the Dao in a temple, it was at first called “dao qiang” and was later called “Daoqing”. The performing form of Tunliu Daoqing alternates speech and song, song predominating, and uses the local Tunliu accent. It is mostly performed by a single person. The performer holds a yugu (fishing drum) in his arms and clappers in his hand, and speaks and sings whether seated or standing. Later a single cymbal replaced the fishing drum: the left hand holds the clappers and a small cymbal (also called the “suo cha”) is hooked on the little finger, while the right hand holds chopsticks to strike the small cymbal; together with the clappers this produces a “pa tang pa tang” rhythmic sound, which serves as the opening and the interlude. The clappers, on the other hand, run right through the speaking and singing from beginning to end. The early vocal style of Tunliu Daoqing took the form of counting recitative, in which the first half of the line is recited and only at the close is a simple drawn-out cadence hummed out; later it took in local folk songs and tunes, and gradually formed a comparatively stable vocal style. This vocal style belongs to the repeated use of a single tune and has three different structural forms, which some people call “ban styles”, namely the “single ban”, the “double ban” and the “inserted ban”. The basic format of the lyrics is a seven-syllable upper-and-lower-line body, with the lower line rhyming. The performed repertory includes long, medium and short pieces alike. Tunliu Daoqing has a long history, and its performing form, vocal music, accompanying instruments and even its traditional items all have extremely marked local characteristics. Its mode of accompaniment and its ban-style vocal music provide a new perspective for studying the formation and development of folk narrative singing music in Shanxi; its Daoist musical elements provide important reference for studying Daoist thought and culture and the way of life of the people of Shanxi in the Ming and Qing dynasties.
Single, double and inserted metres
Its repeated-tune singing has three structural metres, over seven-character couplets rhymed on the second line.
Cymbals and chopsticks
The bamboo drum gave way to a single cymbal hung from the little finger and struck with chopsticks, the clappers running throughout.
Drum, clappers and Daoist music
Its tune resembled temple preaching, hence the name Daoist tone, with the singer cradling a bamboo drum and holding clappers.
Guangxu-era Tunliu and Changzi
By the Guangxu reign it flourished around Tunliu and Changzi, its early counting-board delivery later absorbing local folk tunes.
Transmission today
Mostly taught master to pupil among present and retired staff of the Tunliu cultural centre, who run competitions, school visits and village tours.
03 · Regional Records & Related Items
Tunliu Daoqing, also called “dao qiang” or “yugu” (fishing drum), is a form of quyi current mainly in the Tunliu and Zhangzi area and in the Lucheng, Changzhi and Huguan area of southeastern Shanxi.
04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding
The traditional repertory consists mainly of Daoist folk tales and is strongly educational in character; the modern repertory consists mainly of stories and content that promote the core socialist values and spread positive energy. Tunliu Daoqing is handed down for the most part from master to apprentice, and its inheritors are mainly serving or retired staff of the Culture Centre of Tunliu District, Changzhi City. For the most part they have thoroughly mastered the knowledge and core techniques of Tunliu Daoqing, actively carry out practice and transmission activities, and, through quyi competitions, the bringing of intangible cultural heritage into schools and small art troupes going into the countryside, actively hold exhibitions, demonstrations, seminars and exchanges, while taking the initiative in survey, recording and research work; they have played an important role in the transmission and development of Tunliu Daoqing. The subjects of its lyrics are rich and varied, including folk myths and legends as well as vivid portrayals of social reality, and they serve as reference material for the study of the local folk customs and of the social economy and culture. It exhorts to goodness and admonishes against faults, and advocates the unity of man and nature; it has positive significance for promoting the core socialist values, cultivating the moral character of the people and enriching the spiritual life of the masses.
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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