Stilt Walking
01 · Historical Records
Haicheng gaoxiao yangge has a long history; Qing-dynasty documentary records show a verifiable history of more than three hundred years. By the late Qing dynasty Haicheng gaoxiao had become increasingly mature, forming a body of professional and semi-professional artists. From the first-generation inheritors Xiao Jinzi and Dalaizi of 1820, through the second generation of 1887 — the six chrysanthemums of red, pink, yellow, blue, white and cyan (stage names) — Zhang Jiurong of the third generation in 1902 (stage name Chinese cabbage heart), Wu Kuiyi (styled Earth-catcher) and Wang Fengxiang (styled Rolling Thunder) of the fourth generation in 1940, Wang Liancheng (styled Little Cursive Braid) of the fifth generation in 1951, to Chen Shiyou (young male role) and Qin Li (young female role) of the sixth generation in 1970 and others, many outstanding gaoxiao artists appeared. In 1988 it took first prize outright at the national square folk dance competition, and since 1997 it has taken part many times in major performances at home and abroad; its performance stands out on its own and displays the character of gaoxiao yangge in Northeast China.
02 · Core Techniques & Process
Gaoxiao, also called "gaoxiao yangge", is a folk dance widely transmitted throughout China; it takes its name from the way the dancers tread on wooden stilts with both feet. Gaoxiao has a very long history, originating in a form of technical display among the ancient hundred entertainments; stone carvings of stilt-walking dating from the Northern Wei dynasty already exist. Gaoxiao is generally performed by dance troupes of from a dozen-odd to several dozen people; most dancers portray the role of a character from an ancient myth or historical story, and their costumes largely imitate opera stage dress; common props include fans, handkerchiefs, wooden sticks, spears and sabres. Performance takes two forms, "treading the street" and "parking the field"; the latter comprises the "great field", in which the troupe dances while moving through various formations and patterns, and the "small field", performed by two or three people; male and female roles often dance facing each other, sometimes dancing and singing at the same time. The wooden stilts used for gaoxiao in different places range from 30 to 300 centimetres in height, varying widely. In terms of performance style it is further divided into "civil stilts" and "martial stilts": the civil stilts emphasise twisting, stepping and plot-based performance, while the martial stilts emphasise the display of technical feats. Haicheng gaoxiao yangge is a folk dance much loved by the people; frolicking, uninhibited, ardent and fiery is its keynote, while graceful, lyrical, witty and humorous is its character. The union of the two constitutes the artistic features of Haicheng gaoxiao yangge, giving rise to the four technical elements "twist, surge, tease and face each other". In Haicheng gaoxiao yangge performance, the magnificent great field and the light, delicate small field embrace music, dance, acrobatics, opera and other forms, forming a comprehensive folk square art centred on dance.
The four technical elements
Exuberant, unrestrained and fiery in temper, graceful, lyrical and comic in flavour, the form generates four technical elements: twisting, rippling, teasing and posing.
From Little Gold and Darazi to the Six Chrysanthemums
The genealogy runs from the 1820 founders Little Gold and Darazi, through the six chrysanthemums of 1887 and Cabbage Heart in 1902, to Earth-Grabbing Tiger, Rolling Thunder, Little Braid and the sixth generation of 1970.
Lotus handstand, peacock display and silk carrying
Yang Min learned from Hu Zaowen, Guo Lihua and Jiang Shufen from the age of fourteen and, fusing acrobatics into the stilts, created the lotus handstand, peacock display and silk carrying.
Victory at the 1988 national square dance contest
Haiheng's stilt yangge took first place at the 1988 national square folk dance contest and has since appeared widely at home and abroad, showing the northeast's distinctive stamp.
The great and small fields
The grand and the intimate fields combine music, dance, acrobatics and opera into a comprehensive square art centred on dance, with men and women often paired.
Silver for choreography at the Huaxia Unique contest
In 2005 Yang Min won a silver for choreography at the Ministry of Culture's Huaxia Unique national folk performing arts contest, after many festival awards at home and abroad.
03 · Regional Records & Related Items
Haicheng gaoxiao yangge has exerted broad influence not only locally but also at home and abroad.
Other submitting regions for the same item: Stilt Walking · Stilt Walking · Stilt Walking · Stilt Walking · Stilt Walking · Stilt Walking · Stilt Walking.
04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding
The artists each possess remarkable skills and their own distinction, so its line of transmission is remarkably impressive. Haicheng gaoxiao yangge was once splendid in its day in history, and has never ceased to be handed down among the people. But because a number of old artists died one after another and there are few successors, its performance skills now face the danger of being lost, and urgent rescue and protection are needed. Xing Chuanpei (as recorded in the official file of the associated inheritor): Male, Han nationality, born in 1953, native of Haiyang, Liaoning. In recent years, as an important organiser of Haicheng gaoxiao activities, Xing Chuanpei founded the Haicheng Folk Gaoxiao Yangge Art Troupe and trained disciples such as Xia Wei and Li Wenqi, making a great contribution to the transmission of Haicheng gaoxiao skills. Xing Chuanpei 27 III-9 Hai Representative inheritor of the second-batch national-level intangible cultural heritage project Gaoxiao (Haicheng gaoxiao). Yang Min (as recorded in the official file of the associated inheritor): Female, Han nationality, born in September 1954, native of Haicheng City, Liaoning Province. She loved gaoxiao yangge from childhood and joined the cultural and artistic propaganda team of the Mafeng Commune at the age of fourteen, where she received instruction from gaoxiao artists such as Hu Zaowen, Guo Lihua and Jiang Shufen, mastering every hard skill performed on the stilts as well as the use of tune patterns and drum beats. While inheriting the tradition she also thought actively about innovating skills and dance arrangements, weaving the high-difficulty moves of acrobatics into gaoxiao and creating signature feats such as the lotus peak, the peacock spreading its tail and holding the silk in the teeth, adding both technicality and visual appeal to gaoxiao performance. Representative inheritor of the third-batch national-level intangible cultural heritage project Gaoxiao (Haicheng gaoxiao). She has won excellent performance awards many times at domestic and international arts festivals. In 2005 she won the silver award for direction and choreography at the national folk performing arts competition "One Marvel of China" hosted by the Ministry of Culture.
05 · Associated Representative Bearers
Representative bearers recorded under this item, organized by national nomination batch:
- Xing Chuanpei 02-0357
- Yang Min 03-0915
- Wang Xinhui 03-0916
- Duan Tiecheng 04-1561
- Zhang Zhongxian 05-2214
- Wang Zonglu 05-2215
- Wei Pingjun 05-2216
- Juhaiquan 05-2217
- Wang Jixian
06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography
Sources
China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)
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