Jizhong Sheng and Guan Ensemble
01 · Historical Records
The southern music society of Shengfang town in Bazhou began at the end of the Qing dynasty to take in gaoqiang and Kunqu opera as well, and became the largest music society among the town's “two under one wok” mixed groups.
02 · Core Techniques & Process
Jizhong sheng-and-guan music is current in the Jizhong Plain, that is, the drum-and-wind music of nearly thirty counties and cities south of Beijing, west of Tianjin and north of the line running through Cangzhou and Dingzhou, popularly called a “music society” by the people. Because it is led by the guan and joined by the sheng and other instruments, it is also called “sheng-and-guan music”. Besides the sheng and other wind instruments, it also uses cloud gongs, flutes and such percussion instruments as the drum, nao, cymbals and clapper bells. Its pieces fall into three kinds: suites, short pieces and independent sets of percussion music. Suites are of great length and complex structure, and form the main part of “sheng-and-guan music”. “Sheng-and-guan music” is found all over the Jizhong Plain. Farmers in every locality form societies by village, borrowing instruments to meet, and perform and hand it on in local sacrificial rites, ritual observances and funerary folk activities. Shengfang town lies 35 kilometres east of Bazhou in Langfang City. In the Qianlong reign of the Qing dynasty the town built up twelve “music societies” in succession, of which the southern music society of Shengfang town is the most famous. The southern music society of Shengfang town has a plain, antique style; since it was founded, several hundred years have passed with very little change. Its manner of performance, its performing content (tune patterns) and the instruments it uses all follow strict rules and are seldom altered. The Shengfang town music society of Bazhou can now perform more than thirty tune patterns, and is most skilled in long suites such as Qing Chui and Shan Po Yang. Its repertory includes both Buddhist pieces and village tunes in the secular style, combining the sacred and the popular, and is much loved by the people. During the Shengfang Lantern Festival, the southern music society is the only music society permitted to take part in the “setting-out of the procession”, one of the procedures observed when the many folk flower societies parade. After the founding of the People's Republic of China Kunqu gradually receded, but to this day the players can still blow Kunqu melodies. The performance rites, processional formations and related implements with a distinctive style of the southern music society of Shengfang town are genuine survivals of Buddhist music in the folk, and are important materials for understanding and studying classical Buddhist music and the local folk customs.
Qing Chui
One of the long suites the southern music society of Shengfang town is most skilled in, of great length and complex structure.
Shan Po Yang
One of the long suites the southern music society of Shengfang town is most skilled in; the name of the tune pattern derives from an ancient ci tune.
Processional formation
The grand parade formation made up of banner flags, corner lanterns, the drum rack, tea poles and the like at the Shengfang Lantern Festival; the southern music society is the only music society permitted to join the “setting-out of the procession”.
03 · Regional Records & Related Items
Besides taking part in local funerary folk activities, the southern music society performs three times a year at the temple fair, and sponsors the Shengfang “liuli Buddha” (that is, the ice-lantern festival). Among the many music societies of the locality, the grand formation made up of banner flags, corner lanterns, the drum rack, tea poles and the like became the distinguishing feature of the southern music society. Besides taking part in local funerary folk activities, the southern music society of Shengfang town performs three times a year at the temple fair, and sponsors the Shengfang “liuli Buddha” (that is, the ice-lantern festival); among the many music societies of the locality, the grand formation made up of banner flags, corner lanterns, the drum rack, tea poles and the like is its characteristic. During the Shengfang Lantern Festival it is the only music society permitted to join the “setting-out of the procession”; it can now perform more than thirty tune patterns, and is most skilled in long suites such as Qing Chui and Shan Po Yang.
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04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding
The southern music society of Shengfang town is a product of temple Buddhist music transmitted into the folk, and its mode of transmission is oral, from master to pupil. Under the influence of various factors, the Qujiaying, Gaoluo, Gaoqiao and Shengfang music societies now face enormous difficulties of transmission; only by intensifying protection can this fine piece of folk cultural heritage be carried on. Shang Xuezhi (as recorded in the official file of the associated inheritor): male, Han, born in 1947, a native of Bazhou, Hebei. He can play skillfully all the instruments used in the Gaoqiao music society and is especially good at blowing the sheng; his intonation is precise and his style antique and elegant, reaching a high artistic level. The sheng and flutes he makes are sold in Shanxi, Hebei, Inner Mongolia, Beijing, Tianjin and elsewhere, and enjoy high fame. In 2005 the Music Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Arts and the BBC of Britain interviewed and filmed Shang Xuezhi. Representative inheritor of the second national-level batch of the intangible cultural heritage project Jizhong sheng-and-guan music (Gaoqiao music society). Hu Deming (as recorded in the official file of the associated inheritor): male, Han, born in 1947, a native of Bazhou, Hebei. He is skilled in playing the sheng and the drum, with accurate pitch, high and ringing melody, a bright musical sense and a plain, antique style; his representative pieces include Shang Zi Diao Qing Chui, and he has been interviewed and recorded many times by music experts from the United States, Britain and at home. Representative inheritor of the second national-level batch of the intangible cultural heritage project Jizhong sheng-and-guan music (Shengfang music society).
05 · Associated Representative Bearers
Representative bearers recorded under this item, organized by national nomination batch:
- Feng Yuechi 02-0302
- Cai Yurun 02-0303
- Shangxuezhi 02-0304
- Hu Deming 02-0305
- Xia Laofei 03-0849
- Liu Qin 03-0850
- Wang Ruhai 03-0851
- Hu Guoqing 04-1528
- Shi Junping 05-2083
- Shao Shutong 05-2084
- Cai Baoheng 05-2085
- Zhang Zhanmin 05-2086
- Jia Tingxin
- Lizhanglin
- Pan Desen
06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography
Sources
China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)
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