Kasidawen Dance
01 · Historical Records
“Kasidawen” is not only distinguished in its artistic expression in music and dance; it can also provide important clues for the study of folk activities and of the anthropological gene of a migrating people.
02 · Core Techniques & Process
“Kasidawen” was a folk sacrificial song-and-dance activity of the ancient Heishui people, performed by warriors before they went out to battle to pray for victory, while their relatives prayed for their safety and blessed them with good fortune. Research shows that “Kasidawen” may originally have been a sacrificial rite produced by the ancient Qiang tribes in the course of nomadic pastoralism and hunting. Before the Tang dynasty, because wars were fought one after another in the Heishui River basin, it gradually evolved into a sacrificial rite of war held by soldiers before they set off on a campaign; as it stands today it has become a song-and-dance activity within the sacrificial rites of festivals, celebrations and happy funerals. In the different areas of Heishui County, the content and performance form of “Kasidawen” differ slightly. The “Kasidawen” of Zhuwa Village, Zhawa Township, Heishui County, mainly presents the content and the form of hunting. The “Kasidawen” of E'en Village, Hongyan Township, Heishui County, mainly presents the content of going out on campaign and the related states of mind. The “Kasidawen” of Weigu Township, Heishui County, mainly presents the parting of men and women and the ritual song-and-dance of funerary sacrifice for departed warriors. It is worth noting that armour is worn for dancing only at the funeral rites of warriors here, as a sign of respect for the warrior. The vocal style of Kasidawen consists mainly of polyphonic ritual songs, in which one voice leads and the others join in, matching with the urgent and forceful dance steps. The words sung before a warrior sets out on campaign and those sung at a funeral are not the same: the former lays stress on praying for victory, the latter on seeing the soul off, though the melodic framework is broadly identical. An elder of the clan leads the singing and the young men and women answer, solemn yet impassioned.
Three township variants
Three local forms within Heishui county: Zhawa on hunting, Hongyan on warfare, and Weigu on parting and funeral rites for fallen warriors.
The armour worn at a warrior's funeral
Only at a warrior's funeral is the armour worn in the dance, as a mark of respect; other festive occasions dispense with it.
Polyphonic sacrificial song-dance
Its distinctive polyphonic ritual song-dance offers rare evidence for the tribal arts of the ancient highland gorges and for the anthropology of migrant peoples.
Si Danzhen's five signature pieces
Si Danzhen learned the whole ritual from his father Zhennan Muerjia and was noted for singing; his repertoire includes five named pieces.
The Chinese name and its meaning
Commonly called the armour dance because the dancers wear mail; in the Heishui dialect kasda means armour and wen means to wear.
03 · Regional Records & Related Items
The Kasidawen dance is transmitted chiefly in the Heishui River basin of Aba Prefecture, Sichuan Province. Because the dancers sing and dance wearing “armour clothing”, it is commonly called the “armour dance” in Chinese. “Kasidawen” is a word of the Heishui dialect: “Kasida” means “armour”, and “wen” or “gong” means “to put on”.
04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding
In terms of its historical origins, “Kasidawen” is marked by the blending of ancient Qiang culture with the Tubo culture; the cultural phenomenon of the dance arranged in a terraced ladder shape in particular is of important documentary value for the study of Heishui ethnic history, linguistics and folklore. The distinctive polyphonic ritual song-and-dance form of “Kasidawen” is also an important reference for the study of the cultural and artistic characteristics of the tribes of the high plateau canyon regions in ancient times. Today the living environment of “Kasidawen” is being severely impacted by modern ways of life, and it is in urgent need of rescue-style protection. Sidanzhen (as recorded in the official file of the associated inheritor): Sidanzhen learned the art from his father Zhen Nanmujia from childhood, mastering the whole ritual of “Kasidawen” and excelling in singing it. The dance he performs is urgent and forceful, rugged and deep. Representative works include Kasidabari, Mazhumala, Miluonie, Mani and Lailuomi. Male, Tibetan, born in 1925, died in 2009, native of Heishui, Sichuan. Representative inheritor of the Kasidawen dance, second batch of national-level intangible cultural heritage projects. The Kasidabari, Mazhumala, Miluonie, Mani and Lailuomi sung by Sidanzhen are important carriers recording the Heishui dialect and the fixed formulae of ritual singing. He was born in 1925 and died in 2009, learned the whole ritual from his father Zhen Nanmujia in childhood, and his movements are urgent and forceful, rugged and deep; with the passing of this generation of artists, the chance to sing this whole set of pieces in its entirety is growing ever rarer.
05 · Associated Representative Bearers
Representative bearers recorded under this item, organized by national nomination batch:
- Sidanzhen 02-0393
06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography
Sources
China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)
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