Gongs and drums

The name of China's national intangible cultural heritage: miscellaneous operas of gongs and drums

Applicant: Linyi County, Shanxi Province

Item No.: 232

Project No.: Ⅳ - 88

Time of publication: 2006 (the first batch)

Category: Traditional Drama

Region: Shanxi Province

Type: new item

Applicant: Linyi County, Shanxi Province

Protection unit: Linyi County Cultural Center

Brief introduction of gongs and drums

Applicant: Linyi County, Shanxi Province

Luoguzaxi, also known as "naoguzaxi", is mainly spread in the Hedong area of southern Shanxi Province, which is in the same line as Tiaoxi in Heyang. There are many theories about its origin. According to the stone tablet of Longyan temple in Linyi County in the second year of Zhenyuan period of Tang Dynasty, Longyan temple has Zaxi. According to the old custom, every January, Longyan temple in Linyi County has to perform gongs and drums Zaxi to worship gods and Buddha. Therefore, gongs and drums Zaxi is also known as "Longyan Zaxi".

There are a few tunes, such as Yuediao, guandiao and youhulu. The orchestra is composed of drums, gongs and suonas. It plays with big drums and is responsible for conducting the orchestra. There are eight basic drums, including challenge drum, war drum, walk drum, brake drum, lie'er drum, drop drum and camp drum. The performance of gongs and drums is stylized, and the steps are also fixed. The actor's role is fixed and hereditary. The characters were all male, with dozens of people in each play. During the performance, a "newspaper beater" wearing a robe and a hat leads all kinds of characters onto the stage to sit in the left corner. The characters appear on the stage and report to their families in the way of "recitation". They raise their hands to move and sing, chant, recite and recite with gongs and drums. "Newspaper beaters" are also responsible for the front stage, heralding, reporting, explaining the plot to the audience, and acting as props for trees and stones, similar to "bamboo pole" in Zaju of Song Dynasty. The repertoire of miscellaneous operas of gongs and drums mainly focuses on military themes, especially the "Three Kingdoms operas", with more than 100 kinds of operas such as "faxiqi", "Leyi Faqi" and "Sanqiu Zhuge". There are more than ten manuscripts of gongs and drums drama "tongquetai", among which "meeting Luoyang" is the manuscript of the 12th year of Qianlong.

The music singing, performance, musical instrument setting and performance program of luoguzaxi retain the form of Zaju in song, Jin and Yuan Dynasties, which is of great significance to understand the original form, history and development law of drama. At present, there are fewer and fewer people who can play gongs and drums. Under the influence of diversified forms of entertainment, the traditional way of inheriting the father's career is gradually interrupted, and the new generation does not like to listen to big plays. These situations make gongs and drums in a precarious situation, which needs urgent rescue and protection.