Gong and Drum Art
01 · Historical Records
Hangu flying cymbals came into being approximately in the early Guangxu reign of the Qing dynasty and have a history of more than one hundred years to the present.
02 · Core Techniques & Process
Although the instruments used vary from place to place, they consist mainly of high-volume percussion instruments such as gongs, drums, naos and cymbals; the rhythm is stirring and sharply marked, the performance scenes are grand, the artistic style is marked by imposing momentum, martial vigour and ardent warmth, and it is performed mainly at various folk auspicious celebrations and ceremonial occasions. Hangu flying cymbals are a comprehensive folk square art of the fishing villages along the coast of Tianjin; they integrate folk music, dance and martial arts in one, and are current mainly in Hangu District of Tianjin. A single flying cymbal alone is called a “flying biao”; the cymbal was originally a weapon, and since the people of Hangu made their living by fishing, every boat carried flying cymbals to lure fish and crabs into the nets. Before every voyage out to sea, the old and young of each village would beat the flying cymbals to pray for their relatives to return safely; later this behaviour gradually developed into a folk celebration and thanksgiving-to-the-gods activity. Hangu flying cymbals originally used four pairs of cymbals, one large drum and two large naos as the performing instruments; the cymbals are both instruments and dance props, and red and green silk ribbons and other ornaments are also provided. Cymbal play has a variety of special techniques, mainly including Huan cymbal, cymbal thread, drawing out the cymbal, holding the cymbal and dividing cymbals; the performance is organically combined with the large drum and the large nao, dancing and playing freely to drum patterns such as 【Chao Zi】, 【Yao Er San】, 【Chang Liang】 and 【Jin Xiang】. The performing movements of the flying cymbals include Old Tree Coiling the Roots, Inserting Flowers to Cover the Head and Spreading the Wings; the common formations are mainly “circle”, “two dragons spouting whiskers”, “crossed insertion”, “passing through the crotch” and “many stars surrounding the moon”. In performance the movements are broad and unrestrained, vigorous and forceful; the performers must not only have a strong physique but also a foundation in martial arts involving an arched back and a bent waist, and only with close coordination of hand, eye, body and step can a harmonious and unified effect be produced. At present there are more than a dozen flying-cymbal teams in Hangu District of Tianjin, spread over every subdistrict and town of the district; on the basis of inheriting the tradition these teams have endowed the flying cymbals with new features of the times and have moved the flying-cymbal performance onto the stage, giving it an entirely new appearance different from the past.
Chao Zi
One of the drum patterns used in the Hangu flying-cymbal performance.
Yao Er San
One of the drum patterns used in the Hangu flying-cymbal performance.
Chang Liang
One of the drum patterns used in the Hangu flying-cymbal performance.
Jin Xiang
One of the drum patterns used in the Hangu flying-cymbal performance.
Cymbal-playing techniques
Cymbal play has a variety of special techniques, mainly including Huan cymbal, cymbal thread, drawing out the cymbal, holding the cymbal and dividing cymbals; the performance is organically combined with the large drum and the large nao.
Movements and formations
The performing movements of the flying cymbals include Old Tree Coiling the Roots, Inserting Flowers to Cover the Head and Spreading the Wings; the common formations are mainly “circle”, “two dragons spouting whiskers”, “crossed insertion”, “passing through the crotch” and “many stars surrounding the moon”; in performance the movements are broad and unrestrained, vigorous and forceful, and hand, eye, body and step must be closely coordinated.
03 · Regional Records & Related Items
Gong-and-drum music is a relatively common form of folk instrumental performance in China; it is widely distributed, and is found in Hebei, Tianjin, Shanxi, Shanghai, Henan, Hubei, Shanxi and other places.
Other submitting regions for the same item: Gong and Drum Art · Gong and Drum Art · Gong and Drum Art · Gong and Drum Art · Gong and Drum Art · Gong and Drum Art · Gong and Drum Art · Gong and Drum Art · Gong and Drum Art · Gong and Drum Art · Gong and Drum Art · Gong and Drum Art · Gong and Drum Art · Gong and Drum Art · Gong and Drum Art · Gong and Drum Art · Gong and Drum Art · Gong and Drum Art.
04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding
The Hangu flying-cymbal performance is intended to pray for a bountiful fishing harvest and to see off relatives going out to sea; it expresses the spirit of the Tianjin-area fishermen who cleave the waves and ride the rapids, their courage and fearlessness, as well as their longing for a good life and their deep affection for the sea, and it has research value in such fields as marine culture and folk culture. At present, because old artists have died one after another, Hangu flying cymbals face the danger of being lost, and effective measures for protection and transmission are urgently needed.
05 · Associated Representative Bearers
Representative bearers recorded under this item, organized by national nomination batch:
- Liu Yaowen 03-0882
- Zhao Manzong 05-2134
- Zhang Shushe 05-2135
- Wu Mingchang 05-2136
- Yang Renhe 05-2137
- Liu Qingyun 05-2138
- Liu Zhen 05-2139
- Li Xingguang 05-2140
- Wangdaozhang 05-2141
- Cheng Qinxiang 05-2142
- Wang Guohai
- Xuezongfeng
- Hong Yuqing
06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography
Sources
China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)
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