Music Drama and

Narratives
BY JEDRICK ITUGOT
Regional Music Of China
 China has many ethnic groups besides the Han, who reside in
various regions around the nation. These includes: Tibetans, Uyghurs,
Manchus, Zhuang, Dai, Mongolians, Naxi, Miao, Wa, Yi, and Lisu.

• Guangxi Zhuang folk songs and Han Chinese music are a similar
type and are mostly in the pentatonic scale. The lyrics have an
obvious antithesis format. They frequently contain symbols and
metaphors, and common themes include life experiences as well
as allusions to classical Chinese stories.
• The music of Hong Kong notably includes the Cantonese Chinese
pop music known as cantopop.
• Hua’er – a form of traditional a cappella singing that is popular in
the mountainous northwestern Chinese provinces such as Gansu,
Ningxia and Qinghai.
Regional Music Of China

• Inner Mongolian folk songs have a “long tune” and a “short

tune”. They have variert of stringed instruments such as morin
khuur or horsehead fiddle.
• Korean - Chinese Korean music and North/South Korea music
are basically the same. The main instruments are the long
drum and the Gayageum. It is similar to the ancient Chinese
zither, which was smaller than the modern zither.
• Kuaiban – is a type of rhythmic talking and singing which is
often performed with percussive instruments such as clapper
called paiban.
• Northeast China is a region inhabited by the ethnic groups
like the Manchu. The most prominent folk instruments is the
octagonal drum, while the youyouzha lullaby is also well-
known.
Regional Music Of China
• Sichuan – is a province in southwest China. Its capital city, Chendu,
is home to the only musical higher education institution in the region,
the Sichuan Conservatory of Music.
• Tibet – Tibetan pop is heavily influenced by light Chinese rock.
• Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region – dominated by Uyghurs. Their
best-known musical form is the On Ikki Muqam, a complex suite of
twelve sections related to Uzbek and Tajik forms.
• Yunnan – an ethnically diverse area in southwest China. Best known
from the province is the lusheng, a type of mouth organ used by the
Miao people of Guizhou for pentatonic antiphonal courting songs.
• Nakhi Dongjing – a type of music related to southern Chinese forms.
• Dai ethnic musical styles – similar to those of South Asia, Myanmar,
and Thailand. Some typical Dai instruments are the hulusi and the
elephant-foot drum.
Peking Opera
 Peking Opera or Beijing Opera is the most dominant form of
Chinese opera which combines music, vocal performance,
mime, dance and acrobatics.
 History
 1736-96 – Various acting companies went from south china to
Peking in 1790 to celebrate the 80th birthday of Emperor Ch’ien-
lung (Qianlong Emperor).
 1790 – Peking Opera Style was introduced. It has two styles
forming the core of Peking opera: erh-huang and hsi-p’i.
 Anhwei province – the most famous centre for the performance
of erh-huang and his-p’i, and for this reason the companies
were known as Anhwei companies (hui-pan).

Peking Opera
 1793 – Tan Kao Yueh-kuan was the earliest great actors of the Peking opera,
became the leader of the San-ch’ing troupe, possibly the most important of
the Anhwei companies.
 1820 – It was banned in 1798, the new opera prospered in Peking. 4 of the
companies dominated the stage called the Four Great Anhwei Companies
(ssu-ta hui-pan): San-ch’ing, Ch’un-t’ai, Ssu-his and Ho-ch’un.

• Teahouses is the theatre were the companies performed, where

conversation and social mingling were as important as drama;
audience did not maintain silence during performances.
• Rich people include Peking opera in their t’ang-hui (private parties) in
guildhalls, special restauratants-theatres, guest can choose the
programme themselves.
Peking Opera
• In the early years of Peking Opera, All men actors with the roles
of women played by young boys.

 The stories fell into two categories:

• Wen
• Civil

• In which focused on love, marriage and other civilians

concerns, and wu, or military theater, which revolved around
the theme of war, known for thrilling acrobatics.
Peking Opera

 1835 – 1908 – The powerful Empress Dowager Cixi was an

enthusiastic patron of Peking Opera. She built two stages in the
Summer Palace, and a smaller stage in her private quarters. She
often invites gifted artists to perform for her in the royal palace.
 1900 – Year of Boxer Rebellion, marked a calamitous turning point
for Peking Opera. The Capital theaters were burned down during
the uprising.

• Artists began to experiment with different styles, muddling

traditional Peking Opera with influences from western
dramas.
Peking Opera

 Mei Lanfang – The most famous actor of Peking Opera, played a

key role in popularizing Peking Opera and introducing Chinese
theater to the west. He performed in the United States in 1930
and Europe in 1935.
 1949 – After the founding of the People’s Republic of China,
Peking Opera performances that dealt with contemporary and
revolutionary themes were encouraged, while other topics were
censored.
 1960 – During the Cultural Revolution, traditional theaters were
banned and artists found themselves humiliated and
persecuted by the Red Guards.
 Peking Opera was revived in the 80’s up until now.
Peking Opera
 Main Roles:
• Sheng – It’s a common name of male characters and composed of Lao Sheng
and Xiao Sheng.
• Lao Sheng – middle-aged man with a beard who acts as the decency
figure.
• Xiao Sheng – young man without a beard.
• Dan – General name for female characters can be divided into Zhengdan,
huadan, Laodan, Wudan.
• Zhengdan – “Qingyi” mainly plays the part of the strong-minded
middle-aged woman who behaves elegantly.
• Huadan – Little girls who live in the bottom of society.
• Laodan – The senior woman.
• Wudan – Female who is good at fighting.
Peking Opera

• Jing – Painted face often refers to male characters with unique

appearance or personality, such as Baozheng and Caocao.

• Chou is a comic role or villainous character or righteous

person. Actor’s nose is painted by a piece of white
powder, making him or her easily recognizable.

* Lianpu – is a formed through dramatic artists’ long-term

practice and their understanding and judgment of the roles in
plays.