Yue Opera

Yue Opera 01

Yue Opera is the second most popular style of Chinese opera after the world-renowned Peking Opera, which is no small achievement when you consider that there are over 360 opera genres in China. After all, there’s nothing wrong with getting a silver medal! It originated from Sheng County (modern-day Shengzhou City) in the Shaoxing region of Zhejiang province and is thus sometimes referred to simply as Shaoxing Opera. The name “Yue” is derived from the ancient State of Yue, which ruled the region during the Spring and Autumn Period (c. 771-476 BC). It enjoys great prestige in Zhejiang, Shanghai, Jiangsu, and Fujian, although the style attracts audiences from all over China.

Like many styles of Chinese opera, it evolved from the conversations that farmers would have and the folk songs they would sing when working. They became particularly popular with rural communities because they contained vivid and romantic descriptions of normal daily life. Kind of like watching your favourite soap opera! During economic downturns, many farmers would turn to this folk art as a secondary job in order to supplement their income. Over time, performers began to integrate simple acting sequences and musical accompaniments to further enhance the art.

Towards the end of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912), the opera form began to take shape and groups of performers were known as “Didu Troupes”, a name derived from the characteristic “didu, didu” sound made by the accompanying drum and sandalwood clappers. Imagine having someone name your band “Guitar Riff” or “Drum Beat”, and you can see why the performers may have been dissatisfied with the title! In 1906, the first official performance of this operatic style was staged in the city of Shengzhou and by 1917 Didu Troupes had started performing in Shanghai. Finally, in 1922, they formally changed the style’s name to “Shaoxing Wenxi” or “Shaoxing Literal Opera”. It may not exactly roll off the tongue, but at least it was better than being named after a sound effect!

Yue Opera 02Originally this style was performed solely by male actors, but in the late 1920s an all-female troupe named the Women’s Refined Opera emerged. In a true demonstration of girl power, this troupe became so popular that all-male troupes were completely replaced by all-female troupes during the 1930s and 1940s. It was around this time that the name “Yue Opera” was formally adopted. Yet precisely why this opera style switched to exclusively female troupes is still a subject of great debate among opera enthusiasts.

On the one hand, the economic downturn caused by the Wall Street Crash in 1929 had far-reaching effects in China, which caused many women to seek out alternative ways to make money and thus train as opera singers. On the other hand, many people argue that this style of opera lends itself to a more feminine performance and this is why all-female troupes were simply more popular. Regardless of motive, the presence of these female performers and their dominance over the art was an undoubted boost to the women’s rights movement at the time.

During the 1950s, the style went through a huge artistic reform driven by woman named Yuan Xuefen. It adopted several features from other performance arts, including the ancient Kunqu Opera[1] and modern Western music. In this way, Yue Opera was able to drastically distinguish itself from other styles of Chinese opera. Not long thereafter, the traditional Mu Biao system, where performers would only have an outline of the story but were free to improvise, was abandoned in favour of conventional scripts and directors. Modern stage settings and lighting were introduced, as well as some western musical instruments, which further helped to establish Yue Opera as a more progressive style of Chinese opera.

After the establishment of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, the style became popular with several members of the Communist Party and reached the peak of its fame during the late 1950s and early 1960s. However, like many traditional Chinese art forms, it was outlawed during the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) and this proved to be an almost fatal setback. It enjoyed a revival during the 1980s and, although it has never recaptured the success of its glory days, it continues to captivate foreign and domestic audiences to this day.

It is characterised by its fresh, graceful, and lively style of singing, which is sweet-sounding and lends itself to the telling of love stories. Unlike other forms of opera, which incorporate acrobatics, martial arts or dancing, the focus in Yue Opera is almost solely on the singing. Subject matter is usually derived from fairy tales, literary classics, or historical stories, such as Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai (The Butterfly Lovers), Dream of the Red Chamber, Peacocks Flying to the Southeast, and Fang Qing Visits His Aunt. Bear in mind that making a humdrum visit to see a family member seem exciting is no mean feat!

When it comes to costume, silks and satins take centre stage as clothing materials are chosen for their soft texture and appearance. The use of plain, block colours gives these costumes an unparalleled elegance, although a type of embroidered robe known as a mangpao is also sometimes used. To complement this subtle style, natural make-up is often employed to give the actors a softer appearance. So, if you’re searching for that au naturale look, perhaps a trip to the theatre is in order!

 

 

[1] Kunqu Opera: Also known as Kun Opera or simply just Kunqu. It is the oldest surviving form of Chinese opera and dominated Chinese theatre from the 16th right through to the 18th century. Many popular styles of Chinese opera, such as Peking Opera and Yue Opera, were greatly influenced by this style.

 

The Great Wall

GWcoverthinboard 600

The Great Wall spans over large parts of northern China, and is the result of thousands of years of construction. In 1988 it was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and in 2007 it was named as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. Officially it extends for approximately 8,850 kilometres (5,500 miles) from east to west, making it 2,000 kilometres (1,200 mi) longer than the River Nile!

The history behind this practically legendary feat of architecture began during the Warring States Period (c. 476-221 BC). At that time, China was separated into seven large empires known as the states of Qin, Han, Wei, Zhao, Qi, Chu, and Yan, along with a few smaller kingdoms. In an effort to protect themselves from both inside and outside threats, many of these states began to build walls around their respective territories. The State of Chu pioneered this defensive trend in the 7th century BC when they constructed the “Square Wall”. From the 6th to the 4th century, the other six states followed suit and soon the country was littered with fortifications made of stone, packed earth, and anything they could get their hands on!

When the first emperor, Qin Shi Huang, unified China in 221 BC, he was left with the unenviable task of dealing with this labyrinth of walls. He began by ordering the destruction of all fortifications that had been set up between the conquered six states, as they only presented obstacles to internal administration. However, he soon realised that he could use several of the walls to protect his newly unified China from the nomadic Xiongnu people.

In 214 BC, he ordered the construction of connections between the existing walls that had belonged to the States of Qin, Yan, and Zhao. Ten years later, the “10,000-li[1] Long Wall” was completed. Hundreds of thousands of conscripted workers were forced to labour on the wall and many of them perished. When Qin Shi Huang died in 210 BC, the wall largely fell into disrepair.

That is until the Han Dynasty (206 BC – 220 AD), when Emperor Wudi’s campaign against the Xiongnu revived interest in the wall as a northern defence system. He began strengthening it not only to protect the country from invasion, but also to help the imperial court control trade routes between China and Central Asia. When the Northern Wei (386-534) and Northern Qi (550-577) dynasties took control of northern China, they too invested in extensive repairs to help defend against potential invasions.

During the Sui Dynasty (581-618), in light of the looming threat represented by the Tujue people, the wall was repaired and extended. However, when the Tang Dynasty (618-907) took over, their military prowess allowed them to defeat the Tujue and expand China’s territory further north. Thus the wall gradually became defunct and was neglected for several years.

This was all to change during the Song Dynasty (960-1279), when the Liao and Jin tribes in the north presented a constant threat. The Song rulers were forced to withdraw behind the wall and relinquish their northern territory. Extensive repairs and additions to the wall continued until the Song court was forced to retreat even further south towards the Yangtze River. Since the Mongol leaders of the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) already controlled a vast empire outside of China, they had little use for the wall and only garrisoned a handful of key areas predominantly to monitor trade and travel.

Great Wall built in MingIt was during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) that the wall would finally achieve the accolade and greatness it sorely deserved. The Ming leaders tirelessly maintained, strengthened, and extended it in the hopes of staving off another Mongolian invasion. When people talk about “The Great Wall” of China, they are usually referred to the Ming Great Wall, which stretches from Tiger Mountain in the east to the Jiayu Pass in the west, as the sections of this wall around Beijing and Hebei province are in decent condition. While these sections were largely constructed with bricks, many of the ones in Shanxi Province were built using solid clay. Further west there are still some relics of the Han Great Wall, such as Yumen Pass and Yang pass, but these are largely incomplete when compared with the Ming Great Wall. The most heavily garrisoned areas along this wall were the Three Inner Passes (Juyong, Daoma, and Zijing) and the Three Outer Passes (Yanmen, Ningwu, and Piantou), which were key to the protection of Beijing.

When the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912) replaced the Ming, they changed their ruling strategy to one known as huairou or “mollification”. This was where the Qing court would pacify peoples from Mongolia, Tibet, and other nationalities within their territory by allowing them to continue with their social, cultural, and religious lifestyles uninterrupted. This strategy was so successful that the Great Wall was largely unneeded and fell into disrepair once again. That is, until Chinese businessmen discovered what a valuable tourist attraction it was!

Construction

To maximize the effectiveness of the Great Wall, several mountains were incorporated into it as natural barriers and these account for about a quarter of its length. This helped prevent the construction costs from becoming too steep! That being said, over 70% of it is made up of manmade wall, which is incredibly impressive. It consists of three main components: passes, signal towers, and walls.

The passes represented the greatest strongholds and were usually located at strategically significant points, such as along trade routes. They served as access points for merchants and civilians, as well as exits for soldiers when they performed counterattacks or went out on patrols. On average, the bastions measured 10 metres (30 ft.) in height and were 4 to 5 metres (13-16 ft.) wide at the top. The outside was crenelated while the inside was marked by a metre-high (3 ft.) wall that prevented people or horses from falling off the top. Let’s just hope no one was clumsy enough to trip over the wall!

the construction of the Great WallSignal towers were used to communicate along the wall via the use of beacons (lanterns) at night or smoke signals during the day. In addition, soldiers stationed at the towers would raise banners, beat clappers, or fire guns to convey certain messages. For example, one release of smoke with one shot of gunfire signified the approach of 100 enemies, while three smoke releases with three gunshots indicated more than 1,000. Once one tower spotted the signal, they would replicate it in order to warn towers further down the line. Kind of like forwarding work emails!

The walls themselves are on average 7 to 8 metres (23-26 ft.) in height and 6 metres (19 ft.) in width. To put that into perspective, they’re so wide that five horses could gallop side by side with room to spare! Their structure varies from place to place and largely depended on the kinds of building materials that were available. For example, in the western deserts the walls are mainly made of rammed earth, while in the eastern regions they are faced with stones from outlying mountains.

The Legend of Meng Jiangnu

Of all the myths associated with the Great Wall, the legend of Meng Jiangnu is the most famous and ranks as one of China’s Four Great Folktales. The legend takes place during the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC), around the time that Emperor Qin Shi Huang announced his intentions to build the Great Wall. A beautiful girl named Meng Jiangnu was tending her family’s garden when she caught sight of a young scholar named Fan Qiliang, who was hiding from the federal officials as he did not want to labour on the wall. As with all good fairy tales, they fell in love at first sight and agreed to marry. But, just three days after the wedding, officials broke into their home and took Fan away.

For many months, Meng heard nothing about her husband and so resolved to travel to the wall herself. Upon her arrival, her eagerness to see him was matched only by her despair when she discovered that he had died of exhaustion. She sat on the ground and wept so bitterly that her cries caused a 400-kilometre-long (248 mi) stretch of the wall to collapse and reveal the bones of her deceased lover.

孟姜女Meanwhile, the Emperor happened to be touring the wall and was enraged to find part of it had been destroyed. Yet, the moment he set eyes upon Meng, he was transfixed by her beauty and, instead of executing her, he asked her to marry him. She agreed, but only on three conditions: a festival should be held in her husband’s honour; a state funeral should be conducted for him; and a terrace should be built on the wall near the river so she could make sacrificial offerings to him.

The Emperor reluctantly met her terms but, before their wedding, she climbed the newly built terrace, cursed him and threw herself into the river. This tragic tale embodies the cruelty of the first emperor and honours the many workers who lost their lives building the wall. The Temple of Meng Jiangnu can be found near Shanhai Pass and dates all the way back to the Song Dynasty.

Badaling

The Badaling section of the Great Wall is arguably the most famous and attracts thousands of visitors every day. It rests near the city of Zhangjiakou, just 70 kilometres (43 mi) northwest of Beijing, and was the first section to be opened to the public. Although it was originally built in 1505, it was rebuilt during the 1950s and is thus one of the most “complete” sections of the Great Wall. It stretches over 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) and contains 43 signal towers.

jiankou002Jiankou

The term “jiankou” means “nocked arrow” and this section of the Great Wall was so-named because part of it resembles a large sideways “W”, like an arrow that is ready to shoot. It is located just outside Xizhazi Village, about 30 kilometres (19 mi) from Huairou County.

A few highlights along this part of the wall include: the Nine-Eye Tower, a command tower that has nine holes resembling nine eyes on each side; the Sky Stairs, a set of stairs that elevate at a dizzying angle of 70 to 80 degrees; and “The Eagle Flies Facing Upward”, a watch tower built so high up that supposedly even eagles would have to fly facing upward to reach the top!

mutianyu great wall 03Mutianyu

Mutianyu was originally built during the Northern Qi Dynasty (550-557) and stretches approximately 2 kilometres (1.5 mi) from the Juyong Pass in the west to the Gubeikou section in the east. Since it protected one of the passes leading to Beijing, it was repaired regularly throughout the Ming Dynasty and is now considered one of the most well-preserved parts of the Great Wall. It was partly made of granite and is considered virtually indestructible!

Jinshanling

At its western point, Jinshanling is connected with Simatai and, together with Simatai, it is also listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Jinshanling portion of the Great Wall consists of 67 towers and is approximately 11 kilometres (7 mi) long. It has been repaired several times and appears to be as well-developed as Badaling. However, thus far there are substantially fewer tourists here than at Badaling. If you want to witness the Great Wall in its complete glory, Jinshanling is the best place to go. The refurbishment that it has undergone has not altered its original appearance too much. All of the components of the original Great Wall – the tower, the gate, the fire beacon tower—are still there.

Panlongshan

The Panlongshan or “Coiling Dragon Mountain” section of the Great Wall is the part of the Gubeikou section of the Great Wall that connects to the Jinshanling section.

The main highlights of the Panlongshan section are the General Tower and 24-Window Tower. The General Tower is a two-storey, square-shaped structure that originally functioned as the office of the military general who managed this section of the wall, while the 24-Window Tower is the final watchtower along the Panlongshan Section. The northwestern side of the 24-Tower Window has completely collapsed, which endows it with a certain ruined beauty that has attracted the admiration of many visitors. 

Simatai

司马台600Historically, the Simatai segment was considered the most impenetrable stronghold along the Great Wall as it’s built across a particularly unforgiving stretch of mountains. It’s located near Gubeikou Town in Miyun County and is about 5 kilometres (3 mi) long. According to legend, its Fairy Maiden Tower was home to a beautiful sprite named the Lotus Flower Fairy and is thus beautifully decorated with marble engravings of lotus flowers.

Highlights along this section of the Great Wall include: the Wangjing Tower, which rests at a staggering elevation of about 1,000 metres (3,300 ft.); and the Stairway to Heaven, the 100-metre-long (330 ft.) path that connects the aforementioned towers and is only 30 centimetres (12 in) wide, with cliffs on both sides!

The Jiaoshan Section of the Great Wall

Known as the “First Mountain of the Great Wall”, Jiaoshan earned its unusual nickname simply because it is the first mountain that the Great Wall climbs after it begins in the east. In fact, the term “Jiaoshan” literally translates to mean “Horn Peak” due to its profound steepness. This section of the wall was built during the early Ming Dynasty and thus boasts a history that is over 600 years long!

What makes this section of the wall so unusual is that parts of it have been renovated in recent years, but other parts have been left to grow wild. This gives Jiaoshan a hybrid appearance, as both a beautifully preserved and partially crumbling section of the wall. 

A major highlight at Jiaoshan is known as Big Flat Summit and represents the highest point of this section. From the top, visitors are rewarded with a breathtaking panoramic view of the surrounding Yan Mountains.

The Dongjiakou Section of the Great Wall 

The Dongjiakou section of the Great Wall is widely considered to be one of the best-preserved sections of the original Ming Dynasty wall. It is estimated that around 60% of this section has been preserved in its original condition.

This is allegedly due to the efforts of locals from the nearby village of Dongjiakou, who are said to be the descendants of the original builders and guards of this part of the wall! They take their ancestral heritage very seriously and inspect the wall on a regular basis, making repairs as and when they are needed. 

The Dongjiakou section is also renowned for its bricks, some of which have been carved with various images that are typical of the folk art style of southern China. This sets it apart from other sections of the Great Wall, which are invariably constructed from blank bricks.  

The Huangyaguan Section of the Great Wall

Huangyaguan or Huangya Pass was once one of the most important fortresses along the Great Wall. It was originally constructed during the Northern Qi Dynasty (550-577 AD), but the wall we see today is a result of major renovations that took place in 1569, during the Ming Dynasty, under the supervision of the renowned general Qi Jiguang.

Its name, which translates to mean “Yellow Cliff Pass”, is derived from the fact that the cliffs to the east of the pass are made of yellow rocks that supposedly appear as though they’ve been gilded in gold when hit by the soft glow of the sunset. 

The pass itself is often playfully referred to as the “Eight Diagram Fortification City”, as its labyrinth of narrow streets supposedly resembles the “Bagua” or “Eight Trigrams” symbol that forms an integral part of traditional Chinese culture. 

The Chengziyu Section of the Great Wall

Unlike other sections of the Great Wall, which are named for their unusual shape or their lofty historical significant, the Chengziyu section is named simply after the nearby village of Chengziyu. The section itself is divided in the middle by a large valley, which separates the east part from the west part. This valley was once home to the Chengziyu Pass, which has tragically fallen to ruin. 

The Baiyangyu Section of the Great Wall 

The Baiyangyu section of the Great Wall is located in Qian’an of Hebei province, beginning at Da’ao Tower in the east and ending at the Laojuntai Terrace of the Sidaogou section in the west. It was originally constructed towards the beginning of the Ming Dynasty and was greatly enhanced during the dynasty’s later years. It stretches for a whopping 4,550 metres in length and includes 1,500 metres of marble walling, which is highly unusual when compared to other sections of the Great Wall. This marble section of the Great Wall is 10 metres high and 5 metres wide. Of the 21 towers that once guarded this section of the wall, 6 of them are still in good condition.

Unlike the Badaling section of the Great Wall, which is arguably the most famous, the Baiyangyu section receives markedly few visitors and has fallen into a state of disrepair, endowing it with a wild beauty that sets it apart from more complete sections of the wall. Thus it represents the ideal opportunity to enjoy a quiet hike through the countryside while simultaneously appreciating one of the greatest architectural achievements of mankind.

Shanhai Pass

Shanhai PassThe name “Shanhai Pass” literally means “Mountain and Sea Pass” because it is strategically placed so it joins the Bohai Sea to the southeast and the Yanshan Mountains to the northwest. It was built during the Ming Dynasty and is one of the most well-preserved passes along the Great Wall. Many historians believe it was the eastern starting point of the Great Wall and above its East Gate there is a famous inscription which reads “First Pass Under Heaven”. This refers to the traditional view of Chinese civilization behind the wall and barbarian lands to the north of it, though we’re sure those “barbarians” might have a different view of the situation. In an act of ironic revenge, the pass was eventually captured by one such barbarian tribe named the Jurchen people, who went on to establish the Qing Dynasty!

Jiayu Pass

Shanhai may be the “First Pass Under Heaven”, but Jiayu Pass is commonly referred to as the “First and Greatest Pass Under Heaven”. Talk about one-upmanship! It earned this title primarily because it was built around about 1372, during the early Ming Dynasty, and is one of the most well-preserved military buildings remaining along the Great Wall. It is located at the narrowest point along the western section of the Hexi Corridor in Gansu province, about 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) southwest of Jiayuguan city, and it represents the first pass at the western end of the wall. It was once both a vital fortification for protecting the northwestern border and also a significant point along the ancient Silk Road.

According to legend, when the pass was being planned, the official charged with its construction approached the designer and asked him to estimate the number of bricks they would need. The designer emphatically replied that they needed exactly 99,999 bricks but the official flew into a rage, believing the designer to be overconfident in his abilities. He demanded that the designer compensate for any potential oversights by ordering more bricks and, as an act of defiance, the designer ordered just one extra brick. In the end, he was right and the one lone brick, left over after the pass’ completion, still rests on top of one of the gates.

[1] Li: A unit of distance used in China that roughly equates to 500 metres (1,640 ft.)

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Qinqiang Opera

Qinqiang opera is widely considered to be the forefather of all styles of Chinese opera. In ancient times, it was originally just called Qin opera and nowadays it is also known as Luantan opera, meaning “random pluck” or “strumming” opera. The name “Qin” derives from the fact that Qinqiang opera dates all the way back to the Qin Dynasty (221-206 B.C.) and its heritage stretches back over 2,500 years, making it one of the oldest forms of opera in China. This style of opera first originated from the folk songs of Shaanxi province and Gansu province, and eventually made its way to Beijing, where it heavily influenced the incredibly popular Peking opera.

As a style, it was refined during the Han Dynasty (206 B.C. – 220 A.D.), flourished during the Tang Dynasty (618-907), and was officially acknowledged as a style of opera by the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368). It went through a secondary period of refinement and maturation during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and, by the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), it had spread throughout China. During the reign of Emperor Qianlong (1736-1795), there were over 36 Qinqiang troupes in the city of Xi’an alone. Supposedly Qinqiang opera started in the fields and farms of the northwestern provinces, when locals would shout to one another from across the fields. Eventually these locals developed a system of shouted songs to communicate with one another and this is where Qinqiang derives its distinctive “shouted out” style of singing. Thanks to this unusual singing style, Qinqiang opera is considered one of the “ten strange wonders of Shaanxi province”.

Qinqiang Opera 02Along with this shouted style of singing, Qinqiang opera also incorporates bangzi[1] melodies. These are one of China’s Four Great Characteristic Melodies and Qinqiang is one of the most significant styles of Bangzi opera around today. The opera will usually be accompanied by several instruments, the most important of which is the banhu[2]. The banhu is either strummed or plucked, which is what earned this style of opera the name Luantan or “Random Pluck” opera. The characteristic arias of Qinqiang opera are deep, loud, piercing and bold, with singing of an impressively high pitch. There are two main types of arias in this style of opera: huanyin (joyous tunes) and kunyin (sad tunes). Though the huanyin are magnificent, the kunyin are widely considered to be the most hauntingly beautiful.

Qinqiang was one of the earliest forms of opera to focus on the expression of human emotion. Its use of exaggerated, stylised movements and facial expressions to imply actions, emotions, and events has been replicated in numerous other successive styles of opera. Most Qinqiang operas depict stories of ancient wars of resistance against foreign invaders, battles between good and evil, and the struggle against feudal oppression. They were designed to reflect the honesty, bravery and diligence of the common people of Northwest China.

There are 13 character types in Qinqiang opera. These include four kinds of sheng or male characters, six kinds of dan or female characters, two kinds of jing or painted face characters, and one kind of chou or clown character. There are four major genres of Qinqiang opera, and this is predominantly due to the different dialects and folk music in the areas in which they were developed. Qinqiang is not just about the singing; it is a complete performance art and incorporates dancing, acrobatics and martial arts into every performance. Perhaps the most famous characteristic of Qinqiang is its style of fire-breathing, which has been copied in other successive styles of opera. Watching a performer in traditional dress breathe fire across the stage is a truly enthralling spectacle. The “hat dance” is another unique performance skill of Qinqiang opera, where performers will make a hat or object appear to dance on their head. Originally there were upwards of 10,000 Qinqiang works that were widely popular throughout China, of which only 4,700 remain. The Ghost’s Hate, Down the East River (下河东), The Golden Qilin or The Golden Unicorn (金麒麟), and The Port of Jiujiang (九江口) are just a handful of examples.

Unfortunately, since the 1980s the declining popularity of Chinese opera means that the tradition of Qinqiang opera has gradually started to disappear. However, many opera performers, opera enthusiasts, and government officials are committed to the preservation of this fine cultural art. In 2006 it was listed as a National Intangible World Heritage by the Chinese government and since then measures, such as government stipends for Qinqiang opera troupes and free tuition for anyone choosing to train in Qinqiang opera, have helped bolster the prevalence and popularity of this style of opera. There is now even a Qinqiang Opera Museum in Lanzhou, Gansu.

[1] Bangzi: A Chinese woodblock percussion instrument. Traditionally, two bangzi were used to keep the main tune during an opera, like a primitive form of metronome. Now the term bangzi or bangziqiang is widely used to refer to a type of melody used in Chinese opera.

[2] Banhu: A Chinese bowed stringed instrument. The soundbox is traditionally made from a coconut shell and the rest is made from wood. They have two strings.

 

Mid-Autumn Festival

Mid-Autumn Festival

Who hasn’t admired the full moon hanging like a shimmering white pearl? How often have we imagined the shapes and shadows on the moon to be animals, people, or even old gods? It is no wonder that moon worship has been practised throughout the world for centuries. The Mid-Autumn Festival, the second most important festival in China, evolved from this concept of moon worship. It is a 3,000-year-old harvest festival that takes place on the 15th day of the 8th month according to the Chinese lunar calendar, meaning it falls sometime between September and October. It always falls on the night of a full moon, earning it the names Moon Festival, Mooncake Festival, and Harvest Moon Festival.

In the past, the festival celebrated three main concepts: gathering, thanksgiving, and praying. Families and friends used to gather together after harvesting the crops. They would give thanks for the harvest and for the harmonious relationships between them. Then they would pray for a good harvest in the following year and for other, less tangible ideals such as good fortune, longevity, and marital bliss. Thus nowadays the Mid-Autumn Festival is considered a time for families to come together in quiet appreciation for what they have, much like Thanksgiving in America and the Harvest Festival in England.

During the festival families will share moon cakes, admire the full moon, and burn incense. The moon’s round shape symbolises family unity and so, even if you can’t make it home, it is considered pertinent to admire the moon alone and think of your family. This way, if you and your family are looking at the moon at the same time, you are both connected. If you want to take part in this peaceful and spiritual festival, there are plenty of places that hold outdoor group activities across China. Many of the parks and tourist attractions in Beijing, Shanghai, Guilin, and other major cities will hold a myriad of exciting activities including dancing, letting off sky lanterns, serving delicious festival food, and playing delightful games such as “chasing the moon”. With the full moon above you and the laughter of happy families pervading the night air, the atmosphere on Mid-Autumn Festival is truly magical.

Origins

The festival is often attributed to Chang’e, who is sometimes referred to as the Moon Goddess of Immortality. According to legend, there was once a hero named Hou Yi who was an accomplished archer. One year, ten suns rose into the sky and brought catastrophe to earth. They scorched the plants, dried up the rivers, and caused the death of many people. With great skill, Hou Yi shot down nine of the suns and left only one to provide light. The people rejoiced and, as an act of thanks, the Queen of Heaven bestowed on Hou Yi an elixir of immortality. Hou Yi wanted to become an immortal but he loved his beautiful wife Chang’e too much to leave, so he gave her the elixir for safekeeping.

Hou Yi’s fame earned him many followers who wanted to learn from him. Most of these followers were in earnest but one, Peng Meng, only wanted to steal Hou Yi’s elixir. One day, when Hou Yi went out hunting, Peng Meng broke into his house and demanded that Chang’e give him the elixir. She knew she couldn’t overpower him so, in an act of desperation, she drank the elixir herself. As she floated towards heaven her love for her husband kept her tethered to earth, and so she ended up on the moon, which is the closest place in heaven to earth.

When he returned from hunting, Hou Yi’s servants told him what had happened. He mourned the loss of his wife but, as he looked up at the moon, he noticed her figure dancing on its surface. In his courtyard, he set up a table adorned with all of the cakes, fruits and treats that his wife loved most and offered them to her. The local people were so touched by his enduring affection for his wife that they too began making food offerings to her. This custom has endured for many years and nowadays Chinese people will still pray to Chang’e for good fortune and safety.

Chang'e

Alongside Chang’e, you’re sure to find her trusty companion, the adorable Jade Rabbit. The legend goes that one day three immortals came to earth and asked a rabbit, a fox and a monkey to find them some food. Both the fox and the monkey returned with ample provisions, but the rabbit wasn’t able to find anything. Out of shame and guilt, he threw himself onto the fire and begged the immortals to eat him instead. The immortals were so moved by this act of selflessness that they bestowed immortality on him and allowed him to accompany Chang’e in the moon palace of Guanghan. If you look closely at the full moon, you can see the image of the Jade Rabbit pounding herbal medicine for the immortals.

The third and final figure associated with the moon is Wu Gang; a woodcutter who desperately wanted to achieve immortality but was too lazy to take any steps to this end. Wu Gang’s attitude enraged the Jade Emperor, who concocted a plan to torment the poor woodcutter. The Emperor planted a cherry bay on the moon, which was over 1,500 metres high, and told Wu Gang that, if he managed to cut the tree down, he would be granted eternal life. Wu Gang worked tirelessly, but to no avail. Each time he got close to cutting it down, it would heal itself and he would have to start all over again. On a clear night, some people say you can still see him hacking away at the cherry bay.

History

Moon worship in China can be traced all the way back to the Shang Dynasty (c. 1600-1046 B.C.), while several of the festival customs appear to date all the way back to the Zhou Dynasty (c. 1045-256 B.C). However, these customs were only observed by the royal class during the Autumnal Equinox. By the Sui Dynasty (581-618 A.D.), the common tradition of moon worship intermingled with these royal customs and by the Tang Dynasty (618-690) they had fused to form a ceremonial moon appreciation day. The date for the Mid-Autumn Festival was fixed during the Tang Dynasty and by the Northern Song Dynasty (960 – 1127) the festival was widely celebrated throughout China.

Historically, the most popular legend connected to the festival concerns the Han uprising. During the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), the Han army wanted to overthrow the ruling Mongols but had no way of communicating their message without it being discovered. One day Liu Bowen, a Han military counsellor, hit upon a brilliant idea. He asked his soldiers to tell the Han commoners that winter would bring an awful disease and that eating moon cakes was the only way to protect against it. He then had the soldiers conceal the message “uprising on the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival” in all of the moon cakes and sold them to the Han commoners. On the night of the festival, the Han uprising succeeded and they defeated the Mongols thanks to the ingenuity of Liu Bowen. He was lucky the moon cakes weren’t too delicious, or else the Han people would have just eaten the message!

Customs

The main customs practised during the festival are burning incense and making food offerings to the immortals, eating moon cakes, drinking cassia wine, lighting lanterns, and performing the lion or dragon dance.

moon cakeIncense will normally be burned for the immortals Chang’e and the Jade Rabbit. A table will be laid out with a number of food offerings, including several fruits, cakes and flowers. The most important sacrificial foods are moon cakes and watermelons, and a clay statue of the Jade Rabbit is normally placed alongside the food. Considering the rabbit once sacrificed himself, it’s surprising he doesn’t find this act a little offensive!

Moon cakes are small, elaborately decorated pies that people present to their friends and relatives as gifts. In the past, families would stay up on the night before the festival making them, but nowadays they can be purchased from most bakeries. They come in a variety of different flavours depending on which region you’re in, but the most common fillings include lotus seed paste, sweet bean paste and egg yolk. They will normally have the name of the bakery and their ingredients imprinted on them, with other designs including images of Chang’e and the Jade Rabbit. The round shape of the moon cake symbolises completeness and unity, so the giving of moon cakes promotes harmonious relationships between family members and friends. They are delicious but also rather dense, so be careful not to eat too many or you may end up as round as the moon!

The lighting of lanterns on this festival is not to be confused with the Lantern Festival on the final day of the Chinese New Year. On Mid-Autumn Festival people will carry lanterns, float sky lanterns, or in some cases even write riddles on them. The lanterns don’t appear to be connected to the festival itself, but seem to have been transmitted from other festivals over the years. Most researchers believe that the lighting of lanterns on Mid-Autumn Festival was taken from the Ghost Festival, where lanterns would be placed along the river to guide the spirits of the drowned.

From the moist and tasty moon cakes to the colourfully painted lanterns dancing in the sky, the Mid-Autumn Festival is a time to soak in the true beauty of autumn. The Chinese believe that, no matter where you are in the world, if you and your loved ones are both looking at a full moon then you are somehow connected. We feel that this poignant sentiment perfectly describes both the festival and its message of unity.

 

 

Bouyei Ethnic Minority

Bouyei Ethnic Minority

From the thundering waters of the Huangguoshu Waterfall to the sparkling stalactites of the Dragon Palace Cave, the Bouyei people’s ancestors were wise enough to settle the fertile plains of Guizhou over 2,000 years ago! There are currently nearly 3 million Bouyei people living in China, making them the 11th most populous of the 55 recognised ethnic minorities. Though they predominantly live in Guizhou province, small communities can be found in the provinces of Yunnan and Sichuan and the country of Vietnam.

The Bouyei language is of Tai origin and is very closely related to that of the standard Zhuang language. It was originally accompanied by a writing system that incorporated and adapted Chinese characters. Tragically this writing system has since been lost, but a new writing system was developed in 1985 that uses the Latin alphabet. So even if you don’t understand the Bouyei words, at least you’ll recognise the letters!

The Zhuang and Bouyei both trace their ancestry back to the ancient Luoyue people and their language, behaviour and customs are very similar to that of the Luoyue. Before the Tang Dynasty (618-907), the Zhuang and Bouyei were classed together under the term “alien barbarians” and appeared to be the same ethnic group. However, over time they migrated to different parts of China, developed their own unique cultures and, by the year 900 AD, they were recognised as separate ethnic groups.

During the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912), the Bouyei and several other ethnic minorities suffered greatly under a landownership system that gave power and wealth to landlords but deprived the working class. Eventually this led to the Nanlong Rebellion in 1797, which resulted in many Bouyei people immigrating to Vietnam.

Bouyei villageNowadays Bouyei people traditionally live in settlements near mountains and rivers. As a rule, most villages will have no more than 100 households and the village entrance is usually flanked by a banyan or camphor tree, as they are considered to be sacred. The Bouyei believe that these trees protect the village and bring the villagers good fortune. So next time you’re a bit down on your luck, you may want to consider planting a tree!

In many Bouyei communities the people live in a style of wooden building known as a Diaojiaolou. These are two-storey dwellings that are suspended on stilts, with the ground floor being used for storage and the upper floors being used as living spaces. However, the Bouyei villages near the Huangguoshu Waterfall, particularly Chengguan Town in Zhenning County, are particularly famous for an ingenious style of stone house.

These stone dwellings are made without using cement and are built by simply layering specially cut flagstones in such a way that they create a natural, stable framework. In some cases even the roof will be made out of carefully placed stone sheets! Only the rafters will be made from wood and oftentimes-even furnishings, such as tables, stools, bowls, and cisterns, will be carved from stone. So you could say the Bouyei never made it out of the Stone Age!

 

Bai Ethnic Festivals

The Bai people celebrate a myriad of indigenous festivals, from the Folk Song Festival on Mount Shibao to the Rao San Ling Festival, but the three most important festivals are the Sanyue Festival, Torch Festival, and Benzhu Festivals.

The Sanyue Festival

bai sanyue festivalThe Sanyue or “March” Festival is the grandest in the Bai calendar and is held annually at the foot of Mount Cangshan near Dali from the 15th to the 20th day of the 3rd lunar month. Although it is called the March Festival, it actually falls sometime in April. Originally it began as a religious festival to pay homage to Guanyin, the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy. According to legend, Guanyin once rescued the residents of the Erhai region from certain death by defeating a band of man-eating Raksa demons. Thank goodness she got rid of all of them, or else Yunnan’s tourist trade would have definitely suffered!

From then on, the people held an annual Guanyin Market in her honour and this slowly became a fully-fledged festival. These occasions were particularly important in ancient China since they offered merchants from Tibet, Sichuan, Guangdong, and Hunan the chance to peddle their wares and buy goods that they rarely had access to. It is thought this type of market dates all the way back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907)! Over time the Sanyue Festival has evolved into a fair where sports competitions, dance performances, and the trading of goods have become the focal attraction. After all, we’re pretty sure the Goddess of Mercy wouldn’t mind people having a little fun!

The Torch Festival

bai torch festivalThe Torch Festival is celebrated by numerous ethnic minorities throughout southwest China, but is celebrated by the Bai people on the 25th day of the 6th lunar month, meaning it falls sometime in July. On the day of the festival, villagers light torches and carry them around the fields to drive away insects. They believe this will usher in a bumper harvest and bless the locals with good health and fortune. Doorways and village gates will be decorated with streamers bearing auspicious words that are also flanked by torches. The words must be particularly lucky, as miraculously these paper streamers never catch fire! In some villages, the locals will gather around large bonfires in nearby fields.

The origin of the Torch Festival is recounted in a Bai folk song known as “The Burning of the Torches in the Hall”. This song recounts how Piluoge, the founder and king of the Nanzhao Kingdom (738-902), invited the leaders of the other five warring tribes to a sumptuous banquet in Songming Tower. When they arrived, he betrayed them and burned them all to death. Talk about a warm welcome! Many other ethnic groups in southwest China celebrate this festival to commemorate their ancient kings, who were murdered by Piluoge. However, nowadays the festival is barely connected to the original legend and has become a standardised way of worshipping for ample crops and prosperity in the coming year.

The Benzhu Festivals

bai benzhu festivalIn the villages around Dali, the Benzhu Festival takes place twice every year but the largest and most magnificent one comes directly after Spring Festival. On the morning of the festival, all of the villagers will don their festive clothes and gather in the Benzhu Temple. The benzhu shrines are taken from the temple, placed on a colourfully decorated sedan chair, and paraded through the village. The shrines must pass through every street of the village with people burning incense and chanting scriptures in their wake. Finally they are deposited in a specified location, where they will remain for a number of days.

During the festival, the villagers must follow the gods and worship the shrines in their new location by burning incense and offering them food and money. In some villages, a temporary temple is built around the shrines just for the purposes of the festival! Throughout the festival, families will host feasts and invite their friends and relatives to join them. Some communities will even have a public feast, which takes place in a large open space in the village.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Traditional Dress of Bai Minority

bai dress02

The Bai people’s unique style of traditional dress was established during the Nanzhao Kingdom (738-902), which was a separate empire that ruled over Yunnan during the Tang Dynasty (618-907). The colour white signifies dignity and high social status to the Bai people and so they have a marked preference for white clothes, making laundry day nothing short of a nightmare! Generally speaking the men wear white shirts with white trousers, a white turban, and colourfully embroidered gaiters and belts, although nowadays most young men prefer to wear modern clothes and only don their traditional dress on special occasions.

The women have much more of a penchant for colour and, while the younger women predominantly wear white clothes, the older women mainly dress in blue and black. Young women will normally wear a white or powder-blue dress under a sleeveless pink, purple, red, blue or black jacket. Their clothes are embroidered with rich, colourful patterns, making laundry all the more difficult when it comes to separating the whites and darks! Under the dress they will wear a pair of loose fitting white trousers and embroidered shoes made of white cloth.

They embellish their outfits with a myriad of jewellery, including silver earrings, hairpins, necklaces, and jade bracelets. Elderly women wear far more muted attire and tend to opt for blue dresses and trousers covered by sleeveless black jackets and aprons. In Dali, many of the women wear a white coat trimmed with a black or purple collar that is complemented by loose fitting blue trousers and embroidered shoes. A bouncy ponytail secured at the tip by a red string usually indicates the woman is unmarried, while hair or braids clasped in a bun means you should take your amorous intentions elsewhere!

Most Bai women will wrap a sash around their waist, although the appearance of these waistcloths differs depending on age. Those worn by young girls are normally intricately embroidered and only reach down to their knees, while those worn by middle-aged women are purely blue or black in colour and are much longer. Their embroidery features many patterns and images, the most common of which is the camellia flower.

To the Bai people, the camellia is a symbol of beauty and their characteristic headscarves are designed to look like camellias in bloom. These headscarves are red with a white outer layer and are shaped like a crescent moon. The lower half or “tail” is embroidered with flowers and is meant to be draped over the shoulder so it sways in the wind. The unusual appearance of these headscarves has earned them the name “the flower in the wind and the moon on a snowy night”, although they could just as easily be called “the big hat on the head and the poor girl struggling underneath”!

Three Course of Tea

Three Course of Tea

The Bai people are renowned throughout China for their generosity and the warm-hearted welcome they give to all guests. The San Dao Cha or Three Courses of Tea ceremony is perhaps the finest example of their inherent hospitality. In Mandarin Chinese, the ceremony is often described as “the first is bitter, the second is sweet, and the third brings reflection” (一苦二甜三回味). It’s unsurprising then that the first course of tea is bitter, the second is sweet, and the third is a mixture of flavours with a strong aftertaste.

The first course begins by baking bitter tea leaves in a clay pot over a small open flame, shaking the leaves often so they do not burn. When the leaves turn slightly brown and diffuse a distinct aroma, then boiled water is added to the pot. As the water is added, it creates such a loud sound that this course is commonly referred to as “Lei Xiang Cha” (雷响茶) or “Thunderous Tea”. The water bubbles violently on contact but, once it has stopped bubbling, the tea is ready to drink. This unique process produces a small amount of tea that is fragrant and incredibly concentrated. The thunderous tea is so bitter that it may just feel like a lightning strike to your tongue!

After all that bitterness, you’ll be thanking your lucky stars that the second course is a sweet tea! It is made by first adding a kind of cow’s milk cheese known as rushan to the tea cup, along with tea leaves, walnuts, brown sugar, and other ingredients depending on the region. Boiling water is then poured into the cup and the tea is offered to the guest. This tea resembles more of a soup but is tantalisingly sweet!

The third course is the most complex in terms of its ingredients, as it’s meant to be bitter, sweet and spicy all at the same time! This is achieved by mixing honey, Sichuan pepper, slices of ginger, and cassia (Chinese cinnamon) with a hot cop of Cangshan Xue green tea. The tea not only embodies all of the flavours of the previous courses, as well as being spicy, but also has a distinct aftertaste that has earned it the name “Hui Wei Cha” (回味茶) or “Reflection Tea”.

Three Course of TeaThe term “san dao” does not only mean “three courses” but also refers to the tea being poured three times. The first pouring is for the guest to smell the aromatic tea; the second is to sample the tea; and the third is for the guest to finally drink the tea.

The three types of tea used are designed to imitate the course of life; first you experience bitterness, then you feel happiness after overcoming hardship, and finally you rest and reflect on your past. A direct correlation is sometimes drawn between the stages of life, as a young person goes through much hardship, a middle-aged person feels the sweetness of achievement, and an elderly person recollects their experiences. Although we’ve only mentioned a few of the practices employed in this elegant ritual, there are actually a staggering 18 procedures in the ceremony that are all governed by strict etiquette!

Bai Architecture

The Bai people who inhabit villages surrounding Dali Ancient Town have become well-known for three characteristic styles of architecture, which are as beautiful as they are complex. These are known as “one house with two cottages”, “three rooms and one wall screening”, and “four houses and five courtyards”. The “one house with two cottages” design is the least popular and simply consists of a two-storey main room flanked by two smaller rooms.

The “three rooms and one wall screening” style is the most popular and is probably the most complicated. The house is made up of one main room and two long side rooms, which are arranged in a U shape. The front entrance is covered by a fourth wall, known as the “wall screening” or “shining wall”. This wall is designed to reflect light back into the main room at sunset and provide a little extra privacy.

bai architecture It is normally inscribed with a meaningful Chinese proverb, such as “fortune, longevity, and good health” (福寿安康), although in some instances there are only single characters, such as “happiness” (喜), and sometimes whole poems may be used! You can always tell if a mansion belonged to a specific clan because their slogan will cover the shining wall. For example, the Yang family wall reads “Generations of Righteousness”, while the Zhang family wall is inscribed with the words “A Tradition of Tolerance”. It’s the perfect way for your family to be remembered as courageous, wise, and open-minded, even if they were never necessarily any of those things!

Finally, the “four houses and five courtyards” style is made up of four long rooms that have been arranged in a square shape. In each of the square’s four corners there will be a courtyard and the space in the middle of the square makes up the fifth, largest courtyard. The walls of all these homes are made using slaked lime and are painted white, giving them their characteristically bright appearance.

The exteriors are beautifully decorated with hexagonal honeycomb patterns made up of white, black, and dark blue glazed tiles, proving that beehives are a source not only of honey but of architectural inspiration! The interiors are similarly bedecked with colourful paintings, marble ornaments, and elaborate stone inscriptions, making Bai homes some of the most stylish in China.

In a Bai home, even the doors are a work of art! The wooden gates are skilfully carved and the lattices of the main doors are engraved with lively patterns of legendary figures, birds, animals, and flowers. The upturned eaves, stunning woodcarvings, crisp white exterior, and interior decoration combine to give these homes a simple elegance.

The homes in the village of Xizhou are considered some of the most well-preserved and have remained largely changed since they were built during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912). Many of the local mansions were founded by famous Bai clans and the Yan Family Compound has now been converted into a delightful museum.

Perhaps the most spectacular architectural achievement of the Bai people is the Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple. It was built sometime between 823 and 840 AD and has survived numerous natural and man-made disasters over a period of more than 1,000 years. Towering over Dali at over 70 metres (227 ft.) in height, the central pagoda is one of the tallest of its kind in China!

Bai’s Agriculture and Craftwork

Xizhou Bai ethnic

Most Bai villages are situated along the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau and are crisscrossed by the Lancang, Nujiang, and Jinsha rivers. These river valleys, lush forests, and vast plains are not only beautiful but incredibly fertile, providing the Bai people with an abundance of crops and fruits. The mild climate and rich soil, particularly around the area near Lake Erhai, means they yield crops twice a year, making life for the Bai like an all-you-can-eat buffet! They mainly farm a mixture of staple foods and cash crops such as rice, wheat, beans, cotton, sugarcane, and tobacco.

Mount Cangshan, which rises up mistily near the expanse of Lake Erhai, also contains rich deposits of the famous Dali marble, which is treasured both as a building and crafting material. Its pure white exterior, with beautiful red, pale blue, green, and milky yellow veins running through it, is what makes it so unique and peerless compared to other types of marble. The Bai, being astute businesspeople, have long since made the most of these valuable resources!

bai agricultureBeing an agriculture society, the Bai’s culture still revolves around local markets known as jie. Many Bai villages are self-sufficient, since they grow most of their own food, so these bazaars are designed to provide them with products that they don’t regularly purchase, such as farming equipment or items used for weddings, funerals, and other special occasions. In the Erhai region there is a bazaar every day in a different location so, if you want to see the hustle and bustle of a traditional market, just take a long walk along the lake’s shore!

Bai cuisine is characterised by the use of sharp, cold, and spicy flavours, occasionally using a sour tang to complement a dish. From ham and sausage to smoked pig liver and intestines, pork is central to their diet and their love of it is palpable in every Bai dish. Those who live near a lake or river will also have a lot of fish in their diet and they are renowned for their skill at cooking fish in a variety of ways. Bai women are known for their skill at making delicious sauces, such as bean sauce, lobster sauce, and flour sauce. You could almost say their women are a little saucy!

Like many people in China, the Bai are great tea lovers and will drink tea twice a day, every day. Morning tea, also known as “awakening tea”, is drunk as soon as they wake up. In the afternoon they will enjoy what is known as “relaxing tea” or “thirst quenching tea”, which some people will add milk or popcorn to depending on preference. They have become famous for a custom known as the Three Courses of Tea ceremony, where three types of tea are served in succession to symbolise the course of life.

Bai women in Yunnan are incredibly skilled at batik but, unlike many ethnic minorities, they have continued to use the bandhnu method. This method involves tying, twisting, knotting, pinching, or even stitching the material into the desired patterns, which are usually floral. The material is then dipped into a vat full of indigo dye and left for a certain amount of time. The binding process hinders the dye from reaching parts of the fabric and, if the binding is tight enough, may prevent it entirely.

Bai batik01Once the material has been allowed to dry, it is released and, while the unbound parts of the material have been dyed a deep blue, the bound parts reveal a pattern as they have remained their original white. This tying and dying process can be repeated several times to create more complex designs. The patterns achieved are more natural than the other styles of batik but less exact, and the natural dye is gentler on the skin and less likely to fade. They are also accomplished at lacquer work and have been renowned for their lacquer wares since the Yuan (1271-1368) and Ming (1368-1644) dynasties.