Puxianshiyinbale
01 · Historical Records
During the Wanli reign of the Ming, Yao Lü, a native of Hanjiang in Putian, gave a written description in his Book of Dew of the principal instrument of the wen shifan, the zhen (roller-zither); this shows that the wen shifan had already flourished within Hanjiang no later than the Ming dynasty, and that it has been handed down generation by generation through master-apprentice transmission down to the present day.
02 · Core Techniques & Process
Puxian shiyin bayue, also called "shifan bayue", is a traditional folk narrative-and-singing tune genre and an instrumental ensemble genre of the Putian area. "Shiyin" is also called "shifan"; it is a composite art of instrumental music, vocal music and performance, named for the ensemble of ten instruments, and it is divided into the wen shifan and the wu shifan. The wen shifan is a folk tune genre transmitted in Hanjiang District of Putian City, Fujian Province, and in the surrounding area; it is named for the quiet and slow character of its melodies, which give the impression of being literary and refined. The instruments used in the wen shifan include the zhen (roller-zither), the wanhu (zouma hu, a bowl-shaped fiddle), the sixianhu, the zhi hu, the laohu, the nanpa, the Su flute (xiao), the bajiaqin, the sanxian, the guohehu, the danpi drum, the tanban clappers, the yunluo gongs and others. The principal instrument, the zhen (roller-zither), is a bowed string instrument surviving from the Tang dynasty, and is honoured as a "living fossil of folk instruments". Forty-four wen shifan tune patterns survive today; the form of performance is plain and elegant, divided into standing performance and seated performance. The accompanying singers hold a flower in the mouth as they sing; this is extremely difficult and has a charm all its own, and is especially distinctive. The tune patterns and rhythm of the wen shifan are slow and measured, the melodies are roundabout, there are few words and many notes, the style is plain and elegant, and it still preserves the bearing of the long ci, or lyric songs, of the Tang and Song dynasties. The old wen shifan scores include "Qin Tan You Shi Fen" from The West Chamber, "Feng Song Chang Jiang Yi Ye Fan" from Spring River, "Zao Luo Pao" from the Baihua Pavilion, "Wu de Shi · Han Lu Xiang Qin" from Xian Gu Tan Bing, "Wu Geng Zi" from Can'g Yu Qin, "Er Fan Xiang Bian Man · Zhuan Bai He Yin" from Gao Wenju · Ru Fu Fang Fu, "Ji Xian Bin" from Spring River Chasing the Boat, "Pu Tian Le" from Gu Dasao · Ru Fu Mai Zhu, and "Da Huan Yao".
Qin Tan You Shi Fen
One of the tune patterns recorded in the old wen shifan scores, from The West Chamber.
Feng Song Chang Jiang Yi Ye Fan
One of the tune patterns recorded in the old wen shifan scores, from Spring River.
Zao Luo Pao
One of the tune patterns recorded in the old wen shifan scores, from the Baihua Pavilion.
Wu Geng Zi
One of the tune patterns recorded in the old wen shifan scores, from Can'g Yu Qin.
Pu Tian Le
One of the tune patterns recorded in the old wen shifan scores, from Gu Dasao · Ru Fu Mai Zhu.
Zheng (roller-zither)
The principal instrument, the zhen (roller-zither), is a bowed string instrument surviving from the Tang dynasty, and is honoured as a "living fossil of folk instruments".
Forty-four surviving tune titles
Forty-four wen shifan tune patterns survive today; the form of performance is plain and elegant, divided into standing performance and seated performance; the accompanying singers hold a flower in the mouth as they sing, which is extremely difficult and has a charm all its own.
03 · Regional Records & Related Items
During the Wanli reign of the Ming, Yao Lü, a native of Hanjiang in Putian, gave a written description in his Book of Dew of the principal instrument of the wen shifan, the zhen (roller-zither); this shows that the wen shifan had already flourished within Hanjiang no later than the Ming dynasty and has been handed down generation by generation through master-apprentice transmission down to the present day; its tune patterns and rhythm are slow and measured, its melodies roundabout, there are few words and many notes, and it still preserves the bearing of the long ci, or lyric songs, of the Tang and Song dynasties.
04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding
The wen shifan has deep historical accumulation; with its distinctive regional character and its plain, elegant musical style it has received much attention and praise and has considerable artistic value. In many fields such as folklore, archaeology, art studies and musicology it has considerable research value; and in promoting cultural exchange, strengthening social cohesion and maintaining the emotional ties of the community it also plays a positive role.
06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography
Sources
China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)
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