Jinmenfagu
01 · Historical Records
Xiangta music fagu was founded in the third year of the Tianqi reign of the Ming (1624), when the elder master Jia Mingzhi brought it to the present Mazhuang village in western Tianjin; it has a history of several hundred years. This heritage item has taken part many times in the flower-gathering performances organised by the district and the town, and took part in the grand gathering of the Anthology of Chinese Folk Music in the 1980s.
02 · Core Techniques & Process
Xiangta music fagu is traditional music played by folk musicians, formed by blending Buddhist, Daoist and ceremonial music, for folk ritual activities such as ancestor worship and sacrifices to Heaven, mass entertainment, flower-gathering performances, temple fairs, and weddings and funerals; it is also the accompanying music with which ordinary people pray for blessings and good fortune, ward off evil and prolong life. It is current mainly in Yangliuqing town, Xiqing district, Tianjin. The purpose for which the Xiangta old society was founded is to promote Buddhism, to ferry all beings to goodness and to serve the poor common people. Xiangta music fagu has a top-down organisational structure, a corps of officers, its places of activity, an inside-and-out liaison system, and a complete set of matching instruments. Xiangta music fagu takes its name from playing, on the spot, against a hanging shadow of an incense pagoda; its performing forms include fagu, wind playing and chanted music, and in special events the three kinds of music are united. In general it plays pieces such as Long Hu Dou (Dragon and Tiger Fight), Wu Fu Peng Shou (Five Blessings Presenting Longevity), Ba Xian Guo Hai (The Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea), Er Long Chu Shui (Two Dragons Emerging from the Water), Xin Shi Zi (New Lion), Lao Shi Zi (Old Lion), Jiao Men (Calling at the Gate), Lao He Xi (Old River West) and Shang Lei (Scaling the Rampart), with Chang Xing Dian (Ordinary Set Piece) interposed throughout. The principal instruments are the sheng, guan, flute, gong, clappers and drum; the wind pieces usually played are Yan Guo Nan Lou (Wild Geese Passing the South Tower) and San Fan Qing Chui (Three Refrains of Clear Blowing). Xiangta music fagu has several hundred years of transmission history, is closely bound to local ritual activity and the life of the people, and has a broad mass base; its musical style combines strength and gentleness, and its instruments, performing forms, tune patterns and mode of organisation have a marked regional character, giving it artistic, folkloric, historical and social cultural value that cannot be ignored.
Long Hu Dou (Dragon and Tiger Fight)
One of the pieces generally played by Xiangta music fagu; it plays pieces such as Long Hu Dou (Dragon and Tiger Fight), Wu Fu Peng Shou (Five Blessings Presenting Longevity), Ba Xian Guo Hai (The Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea), Er Long Chu Shui (Two Dragons Emerging from the Water), Xin Shi Zi (New Lion), Lao Shi Zi (Old Lion), Jiao Men (Calling at the Gate), Lao He Xi (Old River West) and Shang Lei (Scaling the Rampart), with Chang Xing Dian (Ordinary Set Piece) interposed throughout.
Wu Fu Peng Shou (Five Blessings Presenting Longevity)
One of the pieces generally played by Xiangta music fagu; it plays pieces such as Long Hu Dou (Dragon and Tiger Fight), Wu Fu Peng Shou (Five Blessings Presenting Longevity), Ba Xian Guo Hai (The Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea), Er Long Chu Shui (Two Dragons Emerging from the Water), Xin Shi Zi (New Lion), Lao Shi Zi (Old Lion), Jiao Men (Calling at the Gate), Lao He Xi (Old River West) and Shang Lei (Scaling the Rampart), with Chang Xing Dian (Ordinary Set Piece) interposed throughout.
Ba Xian Guo Hai (The Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea)
One of the pieces generally played by Xiangta music fagu; it plays pieces such as Long Hu Dou (Dragon and Tiger Fight), Wu Fu Peng Shou (Five Blessings Presenting Longevity), Ba Xian Guo Hai (The Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea), Er Long Chu Shui (Two Dragons Emerging from the Water), Xin Shi Zi (New Lion), Lao Shi Zi (Old Lion), Jiao Men (Calling at the Gate), Lao He Xi (Old River West) and Shang Lei (Scaling the Rampart), with Chang Xing Dian (Ordinary Set Piece) interposed throughout.
Er Long Chu Shui (Two Dragons Emerging from the Water)
One of the pieces generally played by Xiangta music fagu; it plays pieces such as Long Hu Dou (Dragon and Tiger Fight), Wu Fu Peng Shou (Five Blessings Presenting Longevity), Ba Xian Guo Hai (The Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea), Er Long Chu Shui (Two Dragons Emerging from the Water), Xin Shi Zi (New Lion), Lao Shi Zi (Old Lion), Jiao Men (Calling at the Gate), Lao He Xi (Old River West) and Shang Lei (Scaling the Rampart), with Chang Xing Dian (Ordinary Set Piece) interposed throughout.
Xin Shi Zi (New Lion)
One of the pieces generally played by Xiangta music fagu; it plays pieces such as Long Hu Dou (Dragon and Tiger Fight), Wu Fu Peng Shou (Five Blessings Presenting Longevity), Ba Xian Guo Hai (The Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea), Er Long Chu Shui (Two Dragons Emerging from the Water), Xin Shi Zi (New Lion), Lao Shi Zi (Old Lion), Jiao Men (Calling at the Gate), Lao He Xi (Old River West) and Shang Lei (Scaling the Rampart), with Chang Xing Dian (Ordinary Set Piece) interposed throughout.
Lao Shi Zi (Old Lion)
One of the pieces generally played by Xiangta music fagu; it plays pieces such as Long Hu Dou (Dragon and Tiger Fight), Wu Fu Peng Shou (Five Blessings Presenting Longevity), Ba Xian Guo Hai (The Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea), Er Long Chu Shui (Two Dragons Emerging from the Water), Xin Shi Zi (New Lion), Lao Shi Zi (Old Lion), Jiao Men (Calling at the Gate), Lao He Xi (Old River West) and Shang Lei (Scaling the Rampart), with Chang Xing Dian (Ordinary Set Piece) interposed throughout.
Jiao Men (Calling at the Gate)
One of the pieces generally played by Xiangta music fagu; it plays pieces such as Long Hu Dou (Dragon and Tiger Fight), Wu Fu Peng Shou (Five Blessings Presenting Longevity), Ba Xian Guo Hai (The Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea), Er Long Chu Shui (Two Dragons Emerging from the Water), Xin Shi Zi (New Lion), Lao Shi Zi (Old Lion), Jiao Men (Calling at the Gate), Lao He Xi (Old River West) and Shang Lei (Scaling the Rampart), with Chang Xing Dian (Ordinary Set Piece) interposed throughout.
Lao He Xi (Old River West)
One of the pieces generally played by Xiangta music fagu; it plays pieces such as Long Hu Dou (Dragon and Tiger Fight), Wu Fu Peng Shou (Five Blessings Presenting Longevity), Ba Xian Guo Hai (The Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea), Er Long Chu Shui (Two Dragons Emerging from the Water), Xin Shi Zi (New Lion), Lao Shi Zi (Old Lion), Jiao Men (Calling at the Gate), Lao He Xi (Old River West) and Shang Lei (Scaling the Rampart), with Chang Xing Dian (Ordinary Set Piece) interposed throughout.
Shang Lei (Scaling the Rampart)
One of the pieces generally played by Xiangta music fagu; it plays pieces such as Long Hu Dou (Dragon and Tiger Fight), Wu Fu Peng Shou (Five Blessings Presenting Longevity), Ba Xian Guo Hai (The Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea), Er Long Chu Shui (Two Dragons Emerging from the Water), Xin Shi Zi (New Lion), Lao Shi Zi (Old Lion), Jiao Men (Calling at the Gate), Lao He Xi (Old River West) and Shang Lei (Scaling the Rampart), with Chang Xing Dian (Ordinary Set Piece) interposed throughout.
Chang Xing Dian (Ordinary Set Piece)
One of the pieces generally played by Xiangta music fagu; it plays pieces such as Long Hu Dou (Dragon and Tiger Fight), Wu Fu Peng Shou (Five Blessings Presenting Longevity), Ba Xian Guo Hai (The Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea), Er Long Chu Shui (Two Dragons Emerging from the Water), Xin Shi Zi (New Lion), Lao Shi Zi (Old Lion), Jiao Men (Calling at the Gate), Lao He Xi (Old River West) and Shang Lei (Scaling the Rampart), with Chang Xing Dian (Ordinary Set Piece) interposed throughout.
Yan Guo Nan Lou (Wild Geese Passing the South Tower)
One of the wind pieces usually played by Xiangta music fagu; the principal instruments are the sheng, guan, flute, gong, clappers and drum, and the wind pieces usually played are Yan Guo Nan Lou (Wild Geese Passing the South Tower) and San Fan Qing Chui (Three Refrains of Clear Blowing).
San Fan Qing Chui (Three Refrains of Clear Blowing)
One of the wind pieces usually played by Xiangta music fagu; the principal instruments are the sheng, guan, flute, gong, clappers and drum, and the wind pieces usually played are Yan Guo Nan Lou (Wild Geese Passing the South Tower) and San Fan Qing Chui (Three Refrains of Clear Blowing).
03 · Regional Records & Related Items
Locally, Xiangta music fagu has long been famed for the upright character of its society and the high level of its technique; it is held in esteem not only in Yangliuqing but also in the urban area of Tianjin.
Other submitting regions for the same item: Jinmenfagu · Jinmenfagu · Jinmenfagu.
04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding
Xiangta music fagu is transmitted mainly from master to apprentice and has now reached an eleventh generation of transmitters. Cao Guihua (as recorded in the official dossier of an associated inheritor): male, Han, born in September 1967, a native of Tianjin. He began to study the technique of the Xiangta music fagu society in 1983. At the same time, over many years he has actively visited the old artists of the Xiangta old society, collected all kinds of physical materials, and written down what the old artists told him about the history and scores of Xiangta music fagu, forming written material so that the technique is effectively protected and transmitted. Representative inheritor of Jinmen fagu (Xiangta music fagu) in the fifth national-level batch of intangible cultural heritage projects. In 1992 he formally became a disciple of Xue Guilin, the ninth-generation inheritor, and was his last disciple. He is passionately fond of the art of Xiangta music fagu and over many years has actively organised members to take part in all kinds of performance and exhibition activities, actively discharging the duties and obligations of an inheritor and working hard at transmission, assistance and bringing others on.
05 · Associated Representative Bearers
Representative bearers recorded under this item, organized by national nomination batch:
- Fu Baoan 05-2130
- Yang Kuiju 05-2131
- Tian Wenqi 05-2132
- Cao Guihua 05-2133
- Liu Yuxin
- Wu Qiang
06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography
Sources
China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)
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