Stilt Walking
01 · Historical Records
According to verifiable historical records, Western Liaoning gaoxiao yangge already has a history of more than two hundred years. Jinzhou lies in the western Liaoning corridor; since the Qing dynasty temple fairs and shehuo have flourished, and gaoxiao yangge formed its own modes of transmission between town and countryside. First, family transmission, as with the first-generation inheritor Zhu Xiufeng (born in 1840) of Santun Village, Daxue Township, who handed it on for five generations; second, master-apprentice transmission, as with the first-generation inheritor Zhu Youyu (born in 1864) of Fantun Village, Yingpan Township, who handed it on for four generations; third, natural transmission, as many enthusiasts taught themselves to perform through constant watching of performances and became new recruits. The distinguishing feature of Western Liaoning gaoxiao lies in the height of the stilts: the lowest are ninety centimetres, rising in steps, and the tallest can reach two hundred and forty centimetres.
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. According to verifiable historical records, Western Liaoning gaoxiao yangge already has a history of more than two hundred years. The feature of Western Liaoning gaoxiao yangge is the height of the stilts: the lowest is 90 centimetres, rising in steps, and the tallest can reach 240 centimetres; the performers have to sit on the eaves of a house to bind the stilts to their legs. Because the stilts are high and springy, in order to keep the whole body in balance the dancers must keep swinging both arms up and down without stopping, and only then perform freely; this constitutes the basic dynamic of the "big-big dance" of Western Liaoning gaoxiao. Also because the stilts are high, Western Liaoning gaoxiao yangge has formed techniques such as throwing, striding, squatting, twisting and screwing, and forms such as beauty, surge, cleverness, humour and playfulness; its movements are elegant and beautiful, its scenes ardent and fiery, and it has outstanding performance features such as beauty within twisting, surge within beauty, cleverness within surge, humour within cleverness and playfulness within humour, fully displaying the bold character of the people of Western Liaoning.
The ultra-tall stilts
The stilts run from ninety centimetres up to two hundred and forty, whose wearers must bind them while seated on a roof eave; such height and spring force the arms into constant swing for balance.
The basic rhythm of the great dance
The ceaseless up-and-down swing of the arms that keeps the tall stilts upright forms the basic rhythm of the great dance, dashing in manner and fiery in scene.
Throwing, straddling, crouching, wedging and twisting
The techniques that tall stilts make possible — throwing, straddling, crouching, wedging and twisting — combined with beauty, dash, charm, wit and comedy.
The five qualities of Liaoxi performance
The formal qualities of the Liaoxi style, paired with its stilt techniques to produce a dashing, fiery manner.
Family, master-disciple and natural transmission
Three paths of transmission: family lines such as Zhu Xiufeng's five generations at Santun, master-disciple lines such as Zhu Youyu's four at Fantun, and self-taught newcomers.
Binding the stilts from a roof eave
A preparation unique to the ultra-tall stilts: the performer must sit on a roof eave to bind them before rising to walk.
03 · Regional Records & Related Items
Western Liaoning gaoxiao yangge has important cultural and artistic value, and enjoys broad popular influence locally and both within and beyond the province.
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
Western Liaoning gaoxiao yangge has its own distinctive mode of transmission. First is family transmission, as with the first-generation inheritor Zhu Xiufeng (born in 1840) of Santun Village, Daxue Township, who handed it on for five generations; second is master-apprentice transmission, as with the first-generation inheritor Zhu Youyu (born in 1864) of Fantun Village, Yingpan Township, who handed it on for four generations; third is natural transmission: because Western Liaoning gaoxiao yangge is deeply loved by the people, many enthusiasts taught themselves to perform through constant watching of performances and became new recruits. Because a number of old artists of Western Liaoning gaoxiao yangge died one after another and there are few successors, its performance skills — especially the "extra-tall stilts" that are unique in the whole country — now face the danger of being lost, and urgent rescue and protection are needed.
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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