Taige
01 · Historical Records
Taige originated in god-welcoming temple-fair processions in the Central Plains region and later spread gradually to the southeastern coast and the northwest. It enjoyed a period of popularity in the Qing dynasty; as it spread, it combined with local conditions in each place, giving rise to different characteristics.
02 · Core Techniques & Process
Taige (lifted pavilions) is also known by such names as taijiao, taige, gaotai, naoge, naoge, and gaozhuang, and is a form of folk procession performance in traditional festival activities. In taige performances, several children dress as figures in traditional opera costume and, following the plot, form splendid tableaux, which are fixed to iron pillars and supports on a square pavilion platform and carried along by bearers. Traditional taige tableaux are mostly drawn from such repertoire works as The Butterfly Lovers (Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai), The Marriage of the Fairy (Tianxian Pei), Legend of the White Snake (Baishe Zhuan), Journey to the West (Xiyouji), Zhaojun Goes Beyond the Frontier (Zhaojun Chusai), Meeting at the Blue Bridge (Lanqiao Hui), Yellow Crane Tower (Huanghelou), and The Fisherman's Revenge (Dayu Shajia). The tableaux stand roughly three to five meters high; the pavilions have three to five tiers, generally one performer per tier, though some have four performers on the bottom tier, five or six in the middle, and one on top. In a taige procession, four pavilions are generally used, and at most six or even eight; each pavilion is carried forward by four or eight bearers. Taige fuses painting, opera, colored paper-work, and paper sculpture into a single art; its tableaux are graceful and its scenes spectacular. It has long been loved by the broad masses and has flourished in folk tradition without decline. Tiezhi is one performance form of taige. Huotong Tiezhi is transmitted in Huotong Town, Jiaocheng District, Ningde City, Fujian Province, and its history can be traced back to the Sui dynasty. To repay the kindness of his uncle-in-law, Huang Ju held lantern fair activities every year on the first day of the second lunar month, his uncle-in-law's birthday: stilt walking was performed by day, and in the evening there were such entertainments as paper crafting, tiezhi, string lions, and dragon dances. Later the lantern fair spread to the four districts of Huotong, with one evening in each, four evenings of performance in all; this is known as the 'Lesser Welcome' (xiaoying). The lantern fair rotates on a five-year cycle, with each district repeating the performance once, eight evenings in all; this is known as the 'Greater Welcome' (daying). Huotong Tiezhi is one of the splendid items of Huotong's 'Second Day of the Second Month' lantern fair, adding liveliness to the whole event. Its performance content, such as 'Sun Wukong Thrice Beats the White-Bone Demon' and 'Guanyin Buddha with the Golden Boy and Jade Girl', is mostly drawn from traditional literary works and folk tales. The making of Huotong Tiezhi combines such technical means as iron framework, fine art, and lighting. Using forged iron and iron bars as the skeleton, made-up child performers are arranged on the iron frame according to the needs of the plot, forming static and dynamic figure compositions — standing, suspended, or reclining — after which scenery and colored lanterns are configured to complete the setting. Huotong Tiezhi is ingenious in craft and exquisite in construction, with the characteristics of concealment, thrill, and vividness, and is praised as the 'concealed art of the East'. Huotong Tiezhi is one of the closing items of Huotong's Second Day of the Second Month lantern fair: stilt walking is performed by day, and in the evening such entertainments as paper crafting, tiezhi, string lions, and dragon dances are staged; later the lantern fair spread to the four districts of Huotong, one evening in each, four evenings of performance in all, known as the Lesser Welcome; the lantern fair rotates on a five-year cycle, with each district repeating the performance once, eight evenings in all, known as the Greater Welcome. The making of tiezhi combines such technical means as iron framework, fine art, and lighting; using forged iron and iron bars as the skeleton, made-up child performers are arranged on the iron frame according to the needs of the plot, forming static and dynamic figure compositions — standing, suspended, or reclining — after which scenery and colored lanterns are configured to complete the setting.
The lantern feast for the uncle's birthday
To repay his uncle, Huang Ju held a lantern feast on the first of the second lunar month: stilt-walking by day, processions by night.
The small welcome of four districts
The feast spread to the four districts, one night each for four nights, called the small welcome.
The great welcome every five years
Every fifth year the districts repeated it, eight nights in all, called the great welcome.
Forged frames standing, hanging, lying
Forged iron frames hold costumed children standing, hanging or lying, then scenes and lanterns complete the picture.
The hidden art of the East
Its cunning concealed construction, danger and vividness have earned it the name of a hidden art of the East.
The story of Xian village and Shiqiao
Local records say the Sui official Huang Ju moved to Xian village to escape persecution and later exchanged places with his uncle Zhu Fu of Shiqiao.
03 · Regional Records & Related Items
According to local historical records, Huang Ju, a remonstrance official (jianyi dafu) of the Sui dynasty, moved his family to Xiancun to escape persecution by Emperor Yang; later he exchanged residences with his uncle-in-law Zhu Fu, who had settled early in Shiqiao Village. Huotong Tiezhi is an important element of folk festival culture in the Ningde region; it reflects the distinctive features of local folk customs and provides vivid material for the study of folk art in Fujian.
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04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding
With the acceleration of modernization, taige activities are gradually declining, and in the countryside the craft of making taige now lacks successors; the related rescue and preservation work is imperative.
05 · Associated Representative Bearers
Representative bearers recorded under this item, organized by national nomination batch:
- Zhao Yunshan 03-1478
- Zhang Genzhi 03-1479
- Liu Wenchang 03-1480
- Zhong Yuwen 03-1481
- Fu Hengyu 03-1482
- Deng Junchao 03-1483
- Liu Duanfu 03-1484
- Li Ming 03-1485
- Peng Niangyao 03-1486
- Chen Fanxing 04-1976
- Tan Haobin 04-1977
- Gongsun Xin 04-1978
- Li Fuxian 04-1979
- Gao Yumin 05-3029
- Hao Laixi 05-3030
- Yao Ruming 05-3031
- Li Yangbo 05-3032
- Liu Qiyue 05-3033
- Liang Erdun 05-3034
- Hu Liangang
- Chen Wenshan
- Sun Kangfu
- Zhou Xingguang
- Huang Xuejun
- Zhang Guoqin
06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography
Sources
China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)
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