Luxinan Wind and Percussion Music

01 · Historical Records

Representative repertoire includes Bai Niao Chao Feng (A Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix), Liu Zi Kai Men (Six-Character Opening), Yi Zhi Hua (A Single Flower), Da He Tao (Great Combined Set), Feng Jiao Xue (Wind Stirring Snow), Tai Hua Jiao (Carrying the Bridal Sedan Chair) and others, the total number of pieces exceeding three hundred; representative performers include Ren Tongxiang, Jia Ruiqi, Yuan Ziwen and Wei Yongtang, and among the representative troupes in Jiaxiang County alone are the "Yang family troupe" represented by Yang Xingyun, the "Cao family troupe" represented by Cao Ruiqi, the "Ren family troupe" represented by Ren Tongxiang, the "Zhao family troupe" represented by Zhao Xingyu and the "Jia family troupe" represented by Jia Chuanxiu.

02 · Core Techniques & Process

Luxinan wind and percussion music depends mainly on folk occasions such as festival celebrations, weddings and funerals for its existence. According to traditional custom, an ensemble led by a single suona, accompanied by instruments such as the dizi, sheng, small cymbals and drum, is called "dan da di" (the suona, locally known as the large flute); one led by two suonas, accompanied by instruments such as small cymbals, cloud gongs, Wang gongs and music drums, is called "dui da di". Besides these there are also ensembles led by the tin flute and "ka xi" (card-trick) ensembles. Among them, the Yang family troupe has an antique and elegant performing style, solemn and dignified; the Cao family troupe has a pure timbre, soft and sweet; the Ren family troupe has a bright timbre and delicate feeling; the Zhao family troupe has a broad and full timbre, high and clear; and the Jia family troupe has a crisp timbre, stirring and undulating. This widely disseminated folk art, after long excavation, collation and promotion by professional cultural workers, has been greatly improved in every respect: from performance at weddings and funerals it has gradually extended to performance at large festival galas, opening celebrations, enlistment in the army and admission to school, and harvest rejoicings, playing a part in enriching urban and rural cultural life and meeting the cultural needs of the masses.

03 · Regional Records & Related Items

Luxinan wind and percussion music is a form of folk instrumental music led by the suona; its typical representative is the Jiaxiang style, distributed mainly in the cities of Jining, Zaozhuang and Heze in Shandong Province and the surrounding areas. For a period, these five great troupes, together with other drum-and-wind musicians, have been active in the local folk social life, vying with one another in beauty, each excelling in its own way and winning deep popular affection, and they have made Jiaxiang a "hometown of the suona" famed throughout China and known far and wide.

Other submitting regions for the same item: Luxinan Wind and Percussion Music · Luxinan Wind and Percussion Music · Luxinan Wind and Percussion Music.

04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding

In long practice of transmission, Luxinan wind and percussion music has formed a rich repertoire family, a diverse system of modes, superb performing skills, hundreds of folk troupes and thousands of drum-and-wind musicians. Luxinan wind and percussion music has a style of its own, simple and unrestrained, high-pitched and stirring, and has high artistic value, enjoying the affection of experts and the broad masses. Yi Shuanglai (as recorded in the official file of the associated inheritor): Male, Han, born in 1948, a native of Jiaxiang, Shandong. He is skilled in playing the suona and is best known for pieces such as Kai Men Zi (Opening) and Luo Zi (Fall), and for techniques such as "burning the grape rack", "two dragons playing with a pearl" and "blowing the suona through both nostrils"; his timbre is crisp and stirring in its undulations, and he has also incorporated techniques from magic and acrobatics. Representative inheritor of Luxinan wind and percussion music of the second national-level batch of the intangible cultural heritage projects. He has taken part many times in large festival performances and won awards, has trained more than ten well-known students, and has made a positive contribution to the development of Luxinan wind and percussion music.

05 · Associated Representative Bearers

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

• Yi Shuanglai 02-0287
• Li Guangfu 04-1527
• Chen Jianbin 05-2077
• Zhang Yufang

06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography

1. Luxinan Wind and Percussion Music (Jiaxiang, Shandong) · China ICH Official Project Archive
2. Yi Shuanglai · National Representative Bearer Archive

Sources

China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)

Read the official ihchina.cn record ↗