Chanting tune (Changzhou chanting)

Name of China's national intangible cultural heritage: recitation tune (Changzhou recitation)

Applicant: Changzhou City, Jiangsu Province

Item No.: 636

Project No.: Ⅱ - 137

Time of publication: 2008 (second batch)

Category: Traditional Music

Region: Jiangsu Province

Type: new item

Applicant: Changzhou City, Jiangsu Province

Protection unit: Changzhou Cultural Center

Introduction to recitation tune (Changzhou recitation)

Applicant: Changzhou City, Jiangsu Province

Recitation is to recite classical poetry in the way of musical sound. In terms of musical form, "recitation" is to "read" a word with a long tone or a few tones, and the rhythm is relatively broad and slow; "recitation" is to match a word with one or two short tones, and the rhythm is relatively compact. In the process of recitation, "recitation" and "recitation" are often combined and alternated, and "recitation" is the basic way of recitation art, so recitation is often referred to as "recitation".

Classical poetry recitation is a kind of folk art with a long history. Wu Yin, which has historical data, began in the Warring States period. Recitation art is one of the important contents of national traditional culture, which belongs to "minority culture". It is similar to guqin and Kunqu Opera, and has the research value of literature, music, linguistics and so on. Recitation tune is widely spread in China, and it is distributed in all parts of the country, and various schools are formed due to different dialects. Deeply influenced by Han culture, Japan, South Korea and Southeast Asian countries have played an important role in learning and spreading Chinese traditional culture, and recitation also has a certain impact in these countries and regions. The compatriots in Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan and overseas Chinese often express their patriotic and homesick feelings by chanting poems and essays. This shows that, to a certain extent, chanting tune helps to enhance the cultural identity of Chinese at home and abroad. Since the May 4th movement, the recitation of classical poetry has gradually ceased, and the recitation of classical poetry in the first half of the 20th century has almost become a "unique skill". At present, the degree of its endangerment is further deepening, and it is urgent to take effective measures to make use of the existing conditions to save, protect and promote the traditional recitation art.

Changzhou recitation is a traditional art form which uses Changzhou dialect to recite. Its spread area is mainly in Changzhou City of Jiangsu Province, but the distribution of reciters is wide. In addition to the local residents of Changzhou, there are also Changzhou people who live and work in various places and can recite poems in Changzhou dialect.

Changzhou recitation is basically an individual performance, with the nature of self appreciation and self entertainment. At that time, it will be created orally and improvisably by the reciters, and there is no score to participate in. Each reciting successor "one person, one tune" is different, but on the whole, it has the characteristics of Jiangnan folk music. The content of recitation is very rich. It can recite poems, including modern poems such as Qilu, Qijue, Wulu, Wujue, and ancient poems such as the book of songs, songs of Chu, Yuefu Poems, zayan poems. It can also recite poems and classical Chinese. In addition, the tones of students' reading and housewives' stories in the old days can also be included in Changzhou recitation.

Changzhou dialect retains the entering tone characters and some ancient pronunciation, which is close to the middle ancient pronunciation. It has the artistic characteristics of distinct cadence, which can better reflect the rhyme and rhythm beauty of Tang poetry, Song poetry and other classical literature works.

Changzhou recitation has a very high cultural taste, whether in the field of classical literature, traditional music, linguistics or Wu culture, it is an important object of study. As a special form of traditional Chinese culture, Changzhou chanting can also stimulate overseas Chinese's feeling of hometown and country, enhance their sense of cultural identity, and play a positive role in promoting the unity and cooperation of overseas Chinese all over the world. At present, the real social environment is not conducive to the survival of Changzhou recitation. Among the living reciters, the oldest is over 100 years old, and the youngest is over 80 years old. If we do not step up the rescue and take effective protection and inheritance measures, this traditional art will inevitably die out with the passing of the inheritor.