Stilts (Haicheng stilts)

Name of China's national intangible cultural heritage: stilts (Haicheng stilts)

Applicant: Haicheng City, Liaoning Province

Item No.: 112

Project No.: Ⅲ - 9

Time of publication: 2006 (the first batch)

Category: traditional dance

Region: Liaoning Province

Type: new item

Applicant: Haicheng City, Liaoning Province

Protection unit: Haicheng folk stilt Yangko Art Troupe

Introduction to stilts (Haicheng stilts)

Applicant: Haicheng City, Liaoning Province

Stilts, also known as "stilt Yangko", is a kind of folk dance which is widely spread all over the country. It is named for stepping on stilts. Stilts have a long history, which originated from a kind of technical performance in ancient operas. In the Northern Wei Dynasty, there were stone carvings of walking on stilts. Stilts were generally performed in the form of dance teams, with a number of more than ten to dozens of people. Most of the dancers played the role image in an ancient myth or historical story, and their costumes were mostly imitated from opera lines. The common props were fans, handkerchiefs, sticks, knives and guns, etc There are two forms of performance: "stepping on the street" and "abandoning the field". Abandoning the field has "big field" where the dance team dances while walking in various formation patterns, and "small field" where two or three people perform. Most of the characters dance with men and women, and sometimes sing while dancing. The stilts used in different places vary in height from 30cm to 300cm. From the performance style, it can be divided into "Wenqiao" and "Wuqiao", Wenqiao focuses on twisting and stepping and plot performance; Wuqiao focuses on showing off skills.

Haicheng stilt Yangko has a long history. The Qing Dynasty literature shows that it has a history of more than 300 years. At the end of Qing Dynasty, Haicheng stilts became more and more mature, forming a professional and semi professional artist team. Artists have their own unique skills, so their inheritance pedigree is magnificent. From the first generation of heirs xiaojinzi and dalaizi in 1820 to the second generation of red, pink, yellow, blue, white and green chrysanthemums in 1887, Zhang Jiurong in 1902, Wu Kuiyi and Wang Fengxiang in 1940, Wang Liancheng in 1951 and Chen Shiyou in 1970 There are many outstanding stilt artists in the world.

Haicheng stilt Yangko is a popular folk dance. Its keynote is jubilant, unrestrained, warm and hot, and its characteristics are graceful, lyrical, funny and humorous. The unity of the two constitutes the artistic characteristics of Haicheng stilt Yangko, which derives four technical elements of "twist, wave, tease and phase". In the performance of Haicheng stilt Yangko, the grand scene and the light and delicate small scene include music, dance, acrobatics, drama and other forms, which constitute a comprehensive folk square art with dance as the main body. Haicheng stilt Yangko has a wide influence not only in the local area, but also at home and abroad. In 1988, it won the national square folk dance competition. Since 1997, it has participated in various grand performances at home and abroad for many times. Its performance is unique, showing the characteristics of stilt Yangko in Northeast China.

Haicheng stilt Yangko has been brilliant for a time in history, and has been passed on among the people. However, due to the death of some old artists and lack of successors, their performing skills are in danger of being lost and need to be rescued and protected.