Xihe Opera

Name of China's national intangible cultural heritage: Xihe Opera

Applicant: Xingzi County, Jiangxi Province

Project No.: 1107

Project No.: Ⅳ - 145

Time of publication: 2011 (the third batch)

Category: Traditional Drama

Region: Jiangxi Province

Type: new item

Applicant: Xingzi County, Jiangxi Province

Protected by: Lushan Cultural Center

Introduction to Xihe Opera

Applicant: Xingzi County, Jiangxi Province

Xihe opera is also known as "tanqiang opera" and commonly known as "Xingzi opera". It was named "Xihe opera" in 1982 because it was produced in Xingzi County, which is located in the Xihe River Basin in the lower reaches of Ganjiang River. Xihe opera was formed in the period from Daoguang to Xianfeng in the Qing Dynasty. It was popular in Xingzi, De'an, Jiujiang, Duchang and Yongxiu counties in the north of Jiangxi Province.

Xihe opera is mainly composed of banqiang, which is composed of xipi, Gaoqiang, Yugu, folk songs and folk tunes. The melody is high pitched, bold and simple. There are ten traditional trades in Xihe Opera: Yimo, Erjing, Sansheng, Sidan, Wulao, liuwai, Qichou, batian, jiuxiao and shiza. There are three kinds of voices used in Xihe opera performance: Sheng Xing and Chou Xing sing with the "native voice"; Dan Xing and Xiao Sheng Xing sing with the "lateral voice", and the ending of each sentence singing with a small voice; Jing Xing sing with the "lateral voice", and sing with the unique "misuse of local language" and a large number of lining words. Xihe opera traditional accompaniment instrument is also more unique, for the use of thin tube Qin. The performance of Xihe opera is simple and rough, and there are many kinds of performance procedures. For example, when the role appears, there are three types of "standing", "crossing the gate" and "dropping the point". There are four parts in his performance, namely "eight pile gate", "ten techniques", "six waist style" and "Thirteen footwork". There are also a variety of complete body styles, such as "Qiba", "Dihua", "Kaisi", "Beima", "washma" and so on. Martial arts performances include "Xiangsha", "fighting hand", "kinking", "playing with knives", "playing with guns", "playing with swords", "playing with fists", "playing with Liuhe guns", "playing with Liuhe Swords", "playing with cudgels", "playing with whip slips" and "playing with double Swords". The traditional repertoire of Xihe opera is mostly historical robe drama, which is often performed in the book of honest and upright officials, Guo Zhao Guan, San Guan Diao Jiang, Bai Hu Guan, er Jin Gong, Xu CE paocheng, er Tang she Zi, man Tang Fu, etc.

Xingzi Xihe opera is rich in heritage and has important cultural value, but the audience is decreasing, so it is urgent to protect and inherit.