Dangajiaxie
01 · Historical Records
There are three accounts of the origin of Danga Jiaxie: one says it was devised to celebrate a victory in war, one says it was choreographed to mark a victory in a singing-and-dancing contest, and one says it was created to celebrate the arrival of Princess Wencheng in Tibet.
02 · Core Techniques & Process
Danga Jiaxie is a folk song-and-dance popular in Danga Township, Saga County, Tibet Autonomous Region. Its principal content is traditional folk song; its melodies are full-bodied and unadorned, its style is distinctive, it is saturated with the flavour of everyday life, and it is strongly geared toward self-entertainment. Once Danga Township's jiaxie became known, it did so throughout Ü-Tsang. Jiaxie has been handed down through generations here, and every man, woman and child of the township can perform it. Danga Jiaxie activities are generally held during the Tibetan New Year and the major festivals of each year. In performance, men and women form separate ranks, singing as they dance and answering one another in call and response; the steps are heavy and steady, the movements bold and unrestrained, revealing the hardy and courageous character of the Tibetan people. The props are the long waist-knife, the horsewhip, and a small knife and a pair of chopsticks carried inside a small knife sheath. A performance may be short or long; a long one can go on dancing continuously for a whole day. In the traditional manner of performance the dancers form a circle, with men and women each occupying half of it. The drummer sits cross-legged in the centre, singing as he dances and moving in a clockwise direction; in some performances men and women take turns, and the performance is majestic and stirring, graceful and free. The repertoire of the performance includes “Carp Leaping”, “Eagle Spreading Its Wings”, “Knife Skills” and the like. Performance costumes are all made of silk and satin, chiefly red and yellow, and they give off a noble and elegant bearing. Performers wear large round hats hung with tassels, and shake their heads constantly as they dance, like lions, majestic and stirring. Danga Jiaxie is a collective dance peculiar to Saga County of the Tibet Autonomous Region; it embodies the life and the thinking of the ethnic group, and it is an artistic form of expression with definite aesthetic qualities. Its bodily manner, style and aesthetics have all contributed to the exploration of ancient Tibetan culture.
Long sword, whip and chopsticks
Its properties are a long waist sword, a horsewhip, and a small knife with chopsticks in a scabbard, the silk costumes running chiefly to red and yellow.
Leaping fish, soaring eagle and sword play
Its episodes include the leaping fish, the soaring eagle and sword play, rough and bold in movement and showing a fierce, brave temperament.
One hundred and eight movement sequences
The inheritor Tashi commands one hundred and eight movement sequences, taught the form at the Shigatse troupe in 1989 and often leads local performances.
Three accounts of origin
Three accounts circulate locally: a celebration of victory in war, a piece devised to win a song-and-dance contest, and a welcome for Princess Wencheng.
Tashi and Migmar
Tashi began learning in 1969 and became the local transmitter; Migmar adds contemporary movements and trains young performers through oral formulas and periodic tests.
03 · Regional Records & Related Items
Danga Jiaxie is popular in Danga Township, Saga County, Tibet, and is fairly well known in the Ü-Tsang region; every man, woman and child of the township can perform it. At festivals the circle is the basic formation, with men and women each taking half of it, the drummer sitting cross-legged at the centre and the company singing as it moves clockwise. The principal props are the long waist-knife, the horsewhip, and a small knife and chopsticks carried in a small knife sheath; the costumes are made of silk and satin and are chiefly red and yellow, and performers wear large round hats hung with tassels. Performances may be short or long, and a long one can go on dancing for a whole day.
04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding
At present, under the influence of modern culture, traditional Danga Jiaxie faces the awkward situation of having few successors, and urgently needs protection and transmission. Zhaxi (associated inheritor, as recorded in the official file): Male, Tibetan ethnicity, born in January 1952, native of Saga County, Tibet Autonomous Region. He masters one hundred and eight segments of dance movement. In performance his movements are bold and unrestrained, fully displaying the fierce and courageous character traits of the Tibetan people. From 1989 he taught jiaxie dance at the Shigatse Song and Dance Troupe, and he also frequently organised and led the masses of the locality in performances. Representative inheritor of Danga Jiaxie, a national-level intangible cultural heritage project in the fourth national batch. He began studying jiaxie dance in 1969, and afterwards became a bearer and transmitter of local jiaxie dance. He takes an active part in various performance activities and has won awards many times. Mima (associated inheritor, as recorded in the official file): Female, Tibetan ethnicity, born in March 1970, native of Saga County, Tibet Autonomous Region. On the basis of the tradition she has added dance movements that suit the aesthetic taste of contemporary people, re-creating Danga Jiaxie. Representative inheritor of Danga Jiaxie, a national-level intangible cultural heritage project in the fifth national batch. She has taken part in competitions many times and won prizes. She teaches in the slack farming season; through teaching forms such as explaining the history of jiaxie, transmitting mnemonic formulas, teaching the movements and holding examinations every other month, she has trained a group of young performers who are able to perform independently.
05 · Associated Representative Bearers
Representative bearers recorded under this item, organized by national nomination batch:
06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography
Sources
China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)
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