Sichuan Opera

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

Applicant: Sichuan Province

Item No.: 156

Project No.: Ⅳ - 12

Time of publication: 2006 (the first batch)

Category: Traditional Drama

Region: Sichuan Province

Type: new item

Applicant: Sichuan Province

Protected by: Sichuan Academy of Art

Introduction to Sichuan Opera:

Applicant: Sichuan Province

Sichuan Opera is popular in Sichuan Province, Chongqing city and parts of Yunnan, Guizhou and Hubei Province. It is the most influential local opera in Southwest China. It is a miniature of the evolution history of Chinese opera tunes since the end of Ming Dynasty and the beginning of Qing Dynasty. At the end of Ming Dynasty and the beginning of Qing Dynasty, Kunqu Opera, Yiyang tune, Qingyang tune, Shaanxi Bangzi tune, Hubei handiao tune and huidiao tune flowed into Sichuan. During the reign of Qianlong and Jiaqing, they gradually merged with local shouyangdiao tune, Chuanjiang Haozi tune, local minor tune and religious music, basically completing the evolution process of "sichuanization" of foreign tunes. Before and after the revolution of 1911, Gaoqiang opera, Kunqu Opera, huqin opera, Tanxi opera and Sichuan local lantern opera were integrated in the process of performing on the same stage, forming a "Republic of five Tunes" Sichuan Opera, which has continued to this day.

Sichuan Opera is rich in repertoire, including more than 6000 traditional and creative repertoires, represented by huangpaoji, jiulongzhu, youguiji, Chunqiu Pei, dongchuangxiuben, Wuzi Gaomu, shennongjian and Qingtan. Many of them are classic repertoires of southern opera of song and Yuan Dynasties, Zaju of Yuan Dynasty, legend of Ming Dynasty and all kinds of ancient tunes It is of great literary and historical value. After the founding of the people's Republic of China, the reorganization and adaptation of Liuyin Ji, cailou Ji, xiuru Ji, the legend of the White Snake, lalangpei, dahongtai, and the adaptation and creation of Bashan Xiucai, Bianlian, Stillwater Weilan in the period of reform and opening up have had a great social impact, showing the profound traditional cultural heritage of Sichuan Opera.

Sichuan Opera is divided into five trades: Xiaosheng, danjiao, Shengjiao, Hualian and clown. Each trade has its own system of skills and procedures, especially the performances of Wensheng, clown and danjiao. They have many outstanding creations in dramatic expression techniques and performance techniques, which can fully reflect the aesthetic characteristics of Chinese opera. In order to better shape the characters, the artists of Sichuan opera have created many unique skills, such as changing face, hiding sword, drilling fire circle and opening eyes. The performances are lively, novel and interesting, forming a major feature of Sichuan Opera. Among the five kinds of tunes in Sichuan Opera, Gaoqiang music in Qupai style is the most creative. Its combination of helping, playing and singing makes the combination of drama and music reach an unprecedented height and become an outstanding representative of the development of Gaoqiang music in Chinese opera.

Sichuan Opera has the research and cognitive value of Bashu culture, art, history and folk custom, and has a very unique position in the history of Chinese opera and the development of Bashu culture. In recent years, Sichuan Opera, like other local operas, has faced a crisis of survival, with fewer audiences, shrinking performance market, insufficient funds, and difficult inheritance and development. The task of rescuing and protecting Sichuan Opera is seriously in front of people.