Quyi

Quyi (曲艺)

Quyi (曲艺) is a collective term of various narrative-singing arts of the Chinese people. It is an integrated performance art telling stories, shaping characters, and expressing thoughts and feelings by combining narrating and singing, also one of the art categories with the longest history and most profound traditions.

As a narrative genre of music combining narrating and singing, Quyi emphasizes using spoken language, attractive content, and vocal tunes (唱腔 Chang Qiang) of the music should be suitable for narrating, and the tune of the Chang Qiang can be repeated. The addition of facial expressions, movements, and dancing also serve in "narrative-singing."

The origin of ancient Quyi of China can be traced back to the reciting of songs called Chengxiang in the Warring States Period, the funny and humorous performance of Paiyou actors in the pre-Qin period, and the responsive songs in Han and Wei dynasties. By the Tang Dynasty, Su Jiang, an art form of telling folk tales and Buddhism stories to the public appeared; Daqu and folk tunes became popular, which helped narrative arts and singing arts flourish. As a result, Quyi gradually came into being as an independent art form. In the Song Dynasty, because of the development of commodity economy, the prosperity of cities, and the growth of citizen class, narrative performances began to have unique venues, and professional narrative artists also appeared. Guzici, Zhugongdiao, Changzhuan and other singing performances became extremely popular, about which Dongjing Menghualu (Eastern Capital Dreams) written by Meng Yuanlao, Ducheng Jisheng (Capital Records) had detailed descriptions.

From the Ming and Qing periods to the Republic of China period, with the budding of a capitalist economy, cities increased the insignificant number, which significantly promoted the development of narrative-singing art. On the one hand, folk narrative-singing with a thick local flavor flowed to the cities, such as the arts of Daoqing, Lianhualuo, Fengyang Huagu, and Bawangbian; on the other hand, some old art forms varied by combining local and dialectical features, such as the Cihua in the Yuan and Ming dynasties gradually evolved to Tanci in the south and Guci in the north. In this period, new Quyi varieties and pieces kept emerging. Most of the Quyi varieties we see today in China are the varieties passed down from the Qing Dynasty to the beginning of the Republic of China period.

After the establishment of the People's Republic of China, according to statistics, more than 400 Quyi types are actively practiced among the people. The Quyi types of the Han Chinese can be roughly classified into five types: Pingshu, Xiangsheng, Kuaiban, Guqu, and Zouchang. The five types of Quyi share two common artistic features: one is "narrating and singing," which are the main artistic expressing means. Narrating are xiangsheng and Pingshu; singing are Guqu, such as Jingyun Dagu, Danxian Paiziqu, Jiaodong Dagu, and Hubei Dagu; similar to narrating and singing are Shandong Kuaishu, Kuaibanshu, and so on; narrating without accompaniment but singing with accompaniment are the Qinshu varieties, such as Shandong Kuaishu, Guizhou Qinshu, Yunnan Yangqin and so forth; and walking-singing that combines narrating, singing and dancing such as Er Ren Zhuan (song-and-dance duet), are Shibuxian Lianhualuo and Fengyang Huagu. 

In the other, one actor plays multiple roles; this Quyi artist needs no make-up but imitates a variety of roles through narrating and singing, adapting all kinds of stories into Quyi or Shumu and performs them in front of the audience. This form of performance is simple and direct, and its content is succinct and compelling.

Guqu (drum tunes) and Zouchang (walking-singing) are the varieties that are more musical, fully displaying the glamour and cultural connotations of Quyi music.

Singing Tunes with Storytelling

Guqu (drum tunes) includes Tanci, Dagu, Yugu, Qinshu, and Zaqu, mainly perform Quci. For example, Jingyun Dagu, Xihe Dagu, Suzhou Tanci, Sichuan Qingyin, and Shandong Qinshu, all belong to the Ququ type. Jingyun Dagu and Suzhou Tanci are quintessential tunes in the north and south of China.

Jingyun Dagu (京韵大鼓) is the northern Guqu popular in Beijing, Tianjin, north China, and northeast China. Its predecessor was the Muban Dagu popular in the Hebei region. On the basis of Muban Dagu, it is combined with Qinyin Zidishu, continuously absorbing Beijing Opera, Bangzi and other narrative-singing arts. In 1900, Liu Baoquan began narrative-singing in Beijing using Mandarin, absorbing stylish ditties and the tunes and accents of Beijing Opera, thereby creating a new style, adding an accompanying instrument, the Sihu, establishing the performance style of Jingyun Dagu. Later, with famous artists such as Bai Yunpeng and Zhang Xiaoxuan coming into the fore, Jingyun Dagu gradually became an influential variety among the northern Guci (drum tunes), widely popular in such places as Beijing, Tianjin, north China, and northeast China.

The music of Jingyun Dagu has a rich variety of Banqiang (tunes), complete structure, beautiful melody, distinctive rhythm, and very expressive. It is good at significant interval jumping and utilizing multiple decorative sounds to enhance the tunes. The basic pattern of the lyrics is a seven-character sentence, and each lyric is around 140 to 150 sentences. Basic tunes include Manban (slow tunes) and Jinban (quick tunes). It is a mixture of singing and narrating, so the Yunbai (narrating, including the Yunbai with Banyan rhythm and Yunbai without Banyan rhythm) and singing are equally important. Yunbai emphasizes tone and style, half narrating and half singing, naturally connecting with the singing tones.

The performing style of Jingyun Dagu features one man standing and singing. The actor controls the rhythm himself by hitting the Guban (drum-board). Three people typically perform the musical accompaniment, and the musical instruments used are the Dashanxian, Sihu, and pipa, and are sometimes accompanied by the dihu. In terms of schools, Jingyun Dagu has three major genres - "Liu,” "Bai" and "Zhang" with Liu Baoquan, Bai Yunpeng, and Zhang Xiaoxuan as representatives. Among them, Liu Baoquan made the highest artistic achievements and the largest contributions. At that time he was called the "King of the Jingyu Dagu Field," and respected as a master of the generation. Jingyun Dagu emphasizes singing, especially in short pieces. Liu Baoquan was good at singing the "Three-kingdom" stories, such as Changban Pof Zhaoyun Blocks the River, and Borrowing Arrows with Grass Boats. Bai Yunpeng was good at singing A Dream of Red Mansions stories, such as Memorizing Qingwen, Daiyu Feels Sad in Fall, and Baoyu's Wedding. 

After these masters, Xiao Caiwu excelled beyond them. In her years of artistic practice, on the basis of the "Liu School," she integrated the strengths of the "Bai School" and "Young Bai School, by using her sweet voice and broad vocal range, especially her natural vibrato, creating the "Luo School" Jingyun Dagu that was loved by audiences. She was good at singing, especially the strong and loud "Ga Tones" are most compelling, so she was called the "Golden Throat Singer." The classic pieces of Jingyun Dagu not only have singing with stories, but also picturesque passages purely for expressing feelings, such as Chou Mo Ying Chu, and Bai Shan Tu .

Tanci (storytelling) is the representative variety in South China, mainly popular in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River region, with three places-Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai as the center, and Suzhou Tanci as the most famous. Suzhou Tanci originated from the Suzhou region. It was an influential art form in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai, collectively named as Suzhou Pingtan together with Suzhou Pinghua. Suzhou Pinghua, only narrating without singing, often telling the heroic stories; Suzhou Tanci, narrating and singing, and its contents are often about love between young people.

The main performing style of Suzhou Tanci features either a single performer or two performers, with the pipa and Sanxian as the accompanying instruments, featuring vivid language, melodious tunes and the expressiveness of intellectuals. In the beautiful scenery to the south of the Yangtze River, using delicate soft language, and expressive love stories between intellectuals and beauties, the music of Suzhou Tanci is refined, when viewers appreciate it, they feel like they are walking in the picturesque southern poem, roaming in the exquisite Suzhou Gardens, the scenery changing with each step, and their feelings will be freed as the tune goes on.

In the period when Emperor Kangxi ruled (1661-1722), the economy of Suzhou was prosperous; it was one of the southern cities advanced in industry and commerce, which provided a good artistic environment for artists, which led to the development of Suzhou Tanci. When it came to the Jiaqing (1796-1820) and Daoguang (1821-1850) period, four former famous masters - Chen Yuqian, Yao Yuzhuang, Yu Xiushan, Lu Shizhen, and four later famous masters - Ma Rufei, Yao Sizhang, Zhao Xiangzhou, Wang Shiquan emerged, forming the tunes of Chendiao, Yudiao, and Madiao, which later also became the foundation of the singing music of Suzhou Tanci. At the end of the Qing Dynasty and the beginning of the Republic of China period, with the rise a prosperous commerce city, Shanghai became another place where Suzhou Tanci spread. Hence famous artists kept emerging from Suzhou and Shanghai, establishing multiple genres.

Singing while Walking

Zouchang (走唱) means "singing while walking." Here "walking" means dancing as the music story progresses. Zouchang features singing while dancing; both its music and movement are impressive, such as northeast Er Ren Zhuan (二人转), northwest Er Ren Tax, and Yunan Huagu Deng.

Er Ren Zhuan (two-person show) is popular in Liaoning, Jilin, Heilongjiang and the east part of Inner Mongolia. A man and a woman act like a clown and a heroine respectively; although they are wearing make-up, they still tell stories and simulate roles using the identity of singers. When singing, one plays with a fan, the other with a handkerchief, playing while dancing and singing. According to records, Er Ren Zhuan originated from the "Zhuang Jia SJmcT (crop play) where farmers sang and danced in the flat fields. The name "Er Ren Zhuan" was first documented in 1934. Based from the northeast grand Yangge, it absorbed the musical elements of Lianhualuo of Hebei, and added dance, posture, walking around the venue, and so on, thus evolving to its present status.

In the history Er Ren Zhuan has developed in all four corners of the country, featuring a total of four genres: the east genre is centered around Jilin city, which has dancing with colorful rods, including the elements of martial arts; the west genre is centered around Heishan county, Liaoning province, significantly influenced by Hebei Lianhualuo, emphasizing Bantou; the south genre is centered around Yingkou city, Liaoning, following the style of the grand Yangge, emphasizing both singing and dancing; and the north genre is centered around Beidahuang, Heilongjiang province, influenced by the local folk songs, and its tunes are beautiful.

The tunes of Er Ren Zhuan are called "nine tunes, 18 tones, and 72 hey-heys, altogether there are more than 300 tunes. The Suona and banhu are the main instruments of Er Ren Zhuan. In terms of rhythm instruments, the Zhuban (bamboo boards, two big boards, and five rhythm boards) and Yuziban are used, also called "Shouyouzi” (four bamboo boards, each hand playing with folk art prevailing in the northeastern part of China, two boards).

The performance of Er Ren Zhuan has "four skills and one stunt." The "Four skills" are "singing, narrating, playing, dancing," and "one stunt" means the "stunts" of a handkerchief, Fan, Daban, Yuziban, and so on. Because of its smooth and lively music, witty and humorous story content, and wonderful performance arts, Er Ren Zhuan is rooted in the hearts of the northeastern Chinese people, who even say, "I would rather give up a meal, but not a performance of Er Ren Zhuan.” Today, Er Ren Zhuan is still widely popular in the vast countryside and towns in northeast China, continuing with vitality.

Quyi music has a long history with ancient origins and plain style. It is an important part of traditional Chinese culture. As the treasure of the Chinese people, it is impossible to be buried by time. It will be inherited along the development of its epoch.