Tibetan Layi
01 · Historical Records
The Nagqu layi has a long history and rich content; it is the oral history of the migration, labour and survival of the forebears of northern and eastern Tibet. Handed down from generation to generation with the pastoral life of the Qiangtang herders, it formed a settled tradition of singing in the Wenbu township area of Nyima county and has been transmitted collectively by the local people to this day. It is at once a medium of emotional exchange for the northern Tibetan herders and living material for the study of social life in the Qiangtang pastoral area.
02 · Core Techniques & Process
This heritage item circulates mainly in Wenbu township of Nyima county in Nagqu city, Tibet; it is rich in kind and vast in number, touching on every aspect of love life. Nyima county lies in the north of the Tibet autonomous region and the west of Nagqu prefecture, in the “great lake basin” area of the heart of Qiangtang; it is a county with animal husbandry as its pillar industry, under a plateau sub-frigid semi-arid monsoon climate and a plateau frigid arid climate. The Nagqu layi also includes work songs, such as the salt-carrying song, the highland-barley-threshing song, the butter-churning song and the wool-shearing song. Furthermore, a complete layi antiphonal singing has a certain procedure, such as the opening song, the greeting song, the song of first love, the song of mutual love, the song of longing, the song of discord, the song of parting and the closing song. The tunes of the layi are varied in style by region: some emphasize linguistic meaning with a tight rhythm; some have a deep, drawn-out melody, forming a free, melodious and long-drawn style; some have a sweet melody and regular rhythm, forming an elegant and dignified lyrical style.
The Salt-Carrying Song and the Highland-Barley-Threshing Song
The work songs included in the Nagqu layi.
The Butter-Churning Song and the Wool-Shearing Song
The layi sung in the productive labour of the Qiangtang pastoral area.
The Antiphonal Procedure from the Opening Song to the Closing Song
The opening song, greeting song, song of first love, song of mutual love, song of longing, song of discord, song of parting and closing song of a complete layi antiphonal singing.
Gorshe (Xianing and Xiasaer) Singing and Dancing
The folk occasion at which local peasants and herders gather to sing and dance at leisure from the busy farming season.
03 · Regional Records & Related Items
The Nagqu layi is a mountain song current in the northern Tibetan Amdo-dialect region, taking the praising of love as its main content. At leisure from the busy farming season the local peasants and herders also like to gather together to sing and dance, from the “xianing” (the traditional gorshe) to the “xiasaer” (the new gorshe), with rich and varied content.
Other submitting regions for the same item: Tibetan Layi.
04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding
This heritage item has been transmitted mainly by collective transmission down to the present. Keeping pace with the growth of the Tibetan people, it has a value not to be neglected in the study of anthropology, ethnology and folklore. Saving and protecting the Nagqu layi will play a positive role in enriching the people's cultural life and building a harmonious society. The lyrics of the Nagqu layi make much use of comparison and evocation, with sincere feeling, and preserve a great many dialect words and details of life of the northern Tibetan pastoral area.
05 · Associated Representative Bearers
Representative bearers recorded under this item, organized by national nomination batch:
- Qiejizhuoma 02-0248
- Caihejie
06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography
Sources
China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)
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