operatic players(lí yuán dì zǐ)

operatic players

Li Yuan disciple, a Chinese idiom, Pinyin is l í Yu á nd ì Z ǐ, which originally refers to Kabuki trained by Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty. After the general refers to the drama actor. It comes from the song of everlasting regret by Bai Juyi of Tang Dynasty.

The origin of Idioms

In the song of everlasting regret written by Bai Juyi of Tang Dynasty, "the disciples of pear garden are white haired and new, while the ones in Pepper house are green and old."

Idiom usage

The title of the book is Hua Zhi. At that time, they will gather at the Lake Pavilion and perform their own dramas. (the 30th chapter of scholars by Wu Jingzi in Qing Dynasty)

Idiom story

Tang Xuanzong was an emperor who was familiar with music. He not only understands music theory, but also plays musical instruments himself. In order to cultivate more musical talents, he personally selected 300 young children from all over the country and placed them in the pear garden in the north of Guanghuamen in Chang'an city. In his spare time, he taught them to play music himself. These 300 people are called "emperor pear garden disciples" by him, which means that these people are all students in the pear garden. Later, he selected hundreds of maids to live in the luxurious north courtyard of Yichun. Then 30 people were selected from the palace to form a small band to play music for him. On June 1, one year, Yang Guifei celebrated her birthday in Lishan. Tang Xuanzong personally led a small band to perform in Changsheng hall. When a new song was finished, Yang Guifei said, "what's the name of such a beautiful song?" Tang Xuanzong said: "I wrote the music. I forgot to name it." Just then, the South sent litchi. Tang Xuanzong had an idea and said with a smile, "just call it" litchi fragrance. " With that, Xuanzong, Yang Guifei and the disciples of pear garden all laughed.

brief introduction

In the old society, opera actors were often referred to as "Liyuan disciples". In fact, this kind of appellation did not refer to opera actors, but to musical instrument actors. There is a record in the book of rites and music annals of the new Tang Dynasty that Li Longji, Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty, loved music and was proficient in rhythm, especially the elegant faqu. So he selected 300 musicians to teach them to play faqu in the pear garden of the imperial palace. Li Longji came to guide them and called them "disciples of the emperor's Pear Garden". This is the origin of "disciples of the pear garden". as time goes by, Gao Zecheng's famous opera "Pipa Ji" in the late Yuan and early Ming Dynasty has an opening line: "today's disciples of Liyuan are singing and performing Pipa Ji." it can be seen that it already refers to opera actors.

origin

The drama circle is called Li Yuan, and the actors are called Li Yuan's children. This is an allusion from the Tang Dynasty. Speaking of the reason, we have to start from Jiaofang and Xuanzong of Tang Dynasty. In the Tang Dynasty, Jiaofang was set up as the highest institution in China to train palace music talents. It was found all over the country, where high-level talents of song, dance and instrumental music were gathered. The popular faqu in Tang Dynasty, the so-called faqu, is actually the prototype of today's large-scale song and dance. In Tang Dynasty, both singing and dancing were accompanied by instrumental music, with a large lineup of hundreds. Such a difficult music performance is not competent by ordinary art groups. Tang Xuanzong was an excellent musician. He was not satisfied with the musicians at that time, so he trained musicians himself. Liyuan was the place where Tang Xuanzong trained musicians. the pear garden got its name from the pear garden near the Forbidden Garden in Chang'an at that time. "In the second year of Kaiyuan, when there was nothing to do in the world and when he was free to listen to politics, he taught his own faqu in the pear garden. He would do his best. He was called the disciple of the emperor's pear garden." Li Yuan's disciples are selected from Taichang musicians. There are hundreds of them. It can be said that they have a huge lineup. They are rehearsed by Tang Xuanzong himself. In 714 ad, "Liyuan Pavilion" was set up for musicians to perform music, maids to learn dance and singing, and Huichang hall was the place where Emperor Xuanzong taught himself. Pear garden includes 300 male artists and hundreds of female artists. Male artists are selected from the children of zuobuji, and their coaching place is Liyuan in the northwest Forbidden Garden of Chang'an; female artists are selected from the palace maids, and their coaching place is Yichun north courtyard. It can be seen that Tang Xuanzong taught all male students, and most of them were instrumental talents. Tang Xuanzong's musical ability is quite high. He learned from Gong Ting musicians since he was a child and could sing, play and compose music. His faqu "Ni Shang Yu Yi dance" has been handed down to this day. After the male and female artists practice separately, they will perform together. "The sound of this silk and bamboo play is simultaneous. If there is a mistake, the emperor will feel it right." in the performance of hundreds of people, Tang Xuanzong can distinguish who is right and who is wrong, which shows his deep musical attainments. In fact, the children of Liyuan are all the emperor's music students and musicians with outstanding skills. every year, the students of the pear garden of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty will be dismissed if they fail to pass the examination, and some of them will be dismissed because of their age. There are no people who make up for the number in the pear garden, which greatly ensures the authority of the pear garden's children's outstanding skills. Later, some of these professional musicians went into exile, which greatly promoted the development of folk music. The music art of Tang Dynasty developed to the highest peak of Chinese feudal dynasty, even the later song, yuan, Ming and Qing capitals lamented that they were inferior to each other, leading the world. According to historical records, "Xuanzong not only knew the temperament, but also loved faqu. He chose to teach the children of zuobuji in Liyuan." Faqu developed into song and dance, and song and dance developed into drama. The reason why dramas often refer to the past and the present is that they were originally made for the emperor. Liyuan, in fact, is the first national opera school in China. Liyuan has become a synonym for later generations in the performing arts circle. Because Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty was good at using Jiegu to conduct the orchestra, he still used Si Guban as the conductor of the orchestra and was honored as the drummer. He was the backbone of the accompaniment band of the opera. Other people had to follow his rhythm and still use it today. Now located in the stage of jiulongkou, he often worships the God of opera and prays for the safety of the troupe. In fact, the God of opera is Tang Xuanzong. The era of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang Dynasty is the golden age of opera talents. In order to get protection, dramatists even call themselves liyuanzi, which means "emperor's people"; there is another meaning, which is superb skills!

Art life

Since Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty set up a "pear garden" in Chang'an, the western capital, and Luoyang, the eastern capital of the Tang Dynasty, to train opera performers, people have called opera circles "pear garden" and opera artists "pear garden disciples.". In a long historical period, opera is the main form of art, and Liyuan disciples have also formed a special social group. Many of their bitterness, bitterness, bitterness, sweetness, their life and habits have become history, and they are rarely understood by modern youth. in the old days, most of the children of poor families began to learn opera when they were about 10 years old. Or into the nest class or with the troupe. The contract states that the apprentice "runs over the car, kicks the horse, throws into the river, and runs to the well". The teacher is not responsible. He will fight or scold for three years, and all the income belongs to the teacher. After three years, the teacher has to be raised alive and buried dead. When the teacher kneels down to say hello, he pours the bedpan, stretches the bed and folds the quilt for the teacher, and serves the food. After the teacher has eaten, the apprentice can eat some leftovers. In hot weather, he fans the teacher, kneads his back and pinches his legs at night. The teacher will, and reaches out his hand. The apprentice can't cry. The apprentice is very strict in learning and practicing martial arts. When he gets up in the morning, he shouts his voice first, then takes the big top and burns a stick of incense. The incense can't burn out and he can't come down. when the apprentice had some mistakes in performance or life, he was beaten and scolded, or punished to kneel, or spanked. He used a two foot long and two inch wide board, or a white wax stick to hit his back thigh, with a bloodstain down one stroke. For a long time, the apprentices often make mistakes in their daily accounts and concentrate on beating all the apprentices one by one, which is called "full house success". Therefore, when living in the temple, the apprentice first looked at the height of the temple. When the temple was high, the ash pole was raised high, and he was beaten heavily. teachers are often conservative and refuse to pass on their skills easily. At that time, none of the teachers and apprentices had any culture. Learning opera was not only about practicing martial arts, but also about passing on opera lyrics and singing. Only when the teacher is happy can the apprentice dare to ask for a few words. When the apprentices are singing, they fight to wear soldiers and flag, stand on the stage and memorize in their hearts, or steal from the edge of the curtain.

family of opera artists

In the past, most of the operas were handed down from generation to generation. So it's passed down from generation to generation. Because laozuzong was an artist of "Liyuan line", this family is called "Liyuan family". For example, the family of Mei Lanfang, the most famous one in Peking Opera. Mei Qiaoling of the first generation sang Dan roles, and Mei Zhufen of the second generation sang Dan roles. Mei Lanfang's uncle Mei Yutian was a zither player. Mei Lanfang of the third generation was even more famous in Dan roles. Mei Lanfang's son Mei Baojiu and daughter Mei Baoyao, the former sang Dan roles and the latter Lao Sheng. Another example: the famous Tan family in pear garden. The first generation Tan Zhidao was laodan, the second generation Tan Xinpei sang Laosheng, the third generation Tan Xiaopei sang Laosheng, the fourth generation Tan Fuying sang Laosheng, the fifth generation Tan Yuanshou was Wenwu Laosheng, and the sixth generation Tan Xiaozeng sang Laosheng. there are countless examples like this in the Peking Opera circle. These are the famous "Liyuan aristocratic families", and naturally all the disciples are "Liyuan disciples".

Chinese PinYin : lí yuán dì zǐ