Zhuo Dance
01 · Historical Records
The origin of the Rezhen Quzhuo is traced back to Linzhuo in the Epic of King Gesar, and it was continually enriched through transmission by the local community, forming its present appearance; the documented line of transmission has now reached the sixth generation. It grew up in the religious and cultural soil of Rezhen Monastery, the ancestral monastery of the Kadampa school of Tibetan Buddhism: the monastery's Dharma assemblies, offerings and gatherings of devotees gave the Quzhuo fixed occasions for performance, and also allowed its sung texts, melodies and ritual procedures to be preserved over the long term.
02 · Core Techniques & Process
The Rezhen Quzhuo is a traditional zhuo dance passed down in the area around Jiangduo Village, Tanggu Township, Linzhou County, and around Rezhen Monastery in Lhasa City, Tibet Autonomous Region. The content and form of the Rezhen Quzhuo are rather distinctive; its artistic style and charm, its musical vocal style and its performance form all preserve the original character of speaking, singing and dancing. The crisp notes, the broad and resonant sung texts and the magnificent chorus complement one another; the dance movements are rich and varied and highly skilled. The performance sequence of the Quzhuo consists of nine sections: Zhuoquba, Zhuomoquba, Xaduojidian, Naiquerenzhen, Yingquzhuo, Gada Zhaibai, Wenganjue, and Baghen Quluobuzhuidui and Yangjizhuosong. Apart from the first and second sections, whose music, dance and lyrics are the same, the other seven sections mostly differ. Lingzhuo includes six sections, Meibu Seqin, Dongnilaamu, Gujisongjie, Layitangqing, Nuancizamulin and Zhaxi; the lyrics, melodies and dance of each section are different. Basic steps include the qifa step, the level walking step, the tiandianzhuan turn, the double swaying-hand step and the crossed-hands-before-the-chest step. The Rezhen Quzhuo differs from other Quzhuo; with its transverse flutes the whole performance is filled with rejoicing. It pays close attention to the control of the voice, the rise and fall and stress of the rhythmic tempo, and to the articulation of words and enunciation, and it has singing styles of different characters: soft and fine, high and shrill, deep and vigorous, and bold and rustic. Thirty men and thirty women take part in performance. The men's dance movements are graceful and free, their arms rotate at will and the movements of their legs are also broad; the rhythm of the whole dance is sharply marked and its momentum magnificent, fully displaying the masculine beauty of vigour and handsomeness. The women's dance movements are gentler and more flowing, showing the tenderness and dignity of women. In its performance form and artistic style the Rezhen Quzhuo dance blends in the aesthetic characteristics of Tibetan culture, and expresses its primitive, rustic, powerful, vigorous and uninhibited artistic style to the fullest.
The nine sections of quzhuo
Nine sections run from the opening Zhuoquba to Yangji Zhuosong; all but the first two differ in music, dance and lyric.
The six sections of lingzhuo
The lingzhuo portion has six sections, each with its own words, tune and dance.
Basic steps and hand positions
Its basic technique includes the starting step, level walk, toe-pivot turn, double hand-swing and the crossed hands at the chest.
The transverse flute and its joyful tone
Unlike other quzhuo, the transverse flute gives the whole performance a jubilant air, and the singing ranges from soft to high, deep and rough.
Thirty men and thirty women
Sixty performers, thirty of each sex: the men expansive, the women soft and composed, together carrying the style's vigour and boldness.
03 · Regional Records & Related Items
Linzhou County lies to the northeast of Lhasa City, on the upper reaches of the Lhasa River and the basin of the Pengbo River, a place of fine scenery that has produced outstanding people. The Rezhen Quzhuo is divided into two forms, Quzhuo and Lingzhuo. It is a vehicle of Tibet's religious culture, social development history and folk customs; it enriches the spiritual and cultural life of the local people and plays a positive role in promoting national culture and fostering social harmony.
Other submitting regions for the same item: Shannan Changguozhuo Dance · Zhuo Dance · Zhuo Dance.
04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding
Rezhen Monastery is the ancestral monastery of the Kadampa school of Tibetan Buddhism. The snow-region plateau, praised as "an ocean of song and dance", together with its strong religious and cultural atmosphere, has provided rich nourishment for the transmission of the Rezhen Quzhuo. The Rezhen Quzhuo originated in Linzhuo in the Epic of King Gesar and developed continuously through transmission by the local community, forming its present appearance. At present the documented line of transmission has reached the sixth generation. Under the leadership of the representative inheritor, a Rezhen Quzhuo learning troupe of more than forty villagers cultivates successors through daily teaching and through performance and exhibition programmes during festivals such as the Tibetan New Year and the Rezhen Pangka, actively advancing the transmission and dissemination of the project.
05 · Associated Representative Bearers
Representative bearers recorded under this item, organized by national nomination batch:
- Suolang 02-0398
- Bianbaciren 02-0399
- Nima 05-2242
- Awangdunzhu
06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography
Sources
China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)
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