Shaanxi Opera Introduction

Background of Shaanxi Opera

To sing opera by roaring, one of the "Ten Odds in Guanzhong", is the play called Shaanxi Opera (秦腔).

In Chinese folk, there is a legend about "Ten Odds in Guanzhong". First of all, let's talk about "Guanzhong" (the geographic name), which, in fact, is the Weihe Plain to the north a mountain range called Qinling in Shanxi Province, Northwest China. 

The area of Guanzhong, since ancient times, has been blessed with fertile soil and fine weather for the fanners to greatly develop their agriculture, which laid the solid foundation for the rise of the Qin civilization during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. 

Thus this area was honored with the title of "Eight-Hundred-Li Qin's Land", and the character of "Qin" always has something more or less to do with all that on this land.

The characteristics of Shaanxi Opera

Shaanxi Opera (秦腔), derived from the ancient folk songs and dances in the regions of Shaanxi and Gansu, is one of the very old genres of drama in China, which began to emerge in the northwestern regions of China.

The people from the regions of Shaanxi and Gansu are honest, frank, and generous, so Shaanxi Opera, originating on such land, has been tagged with the characteristics as being simple, rude, unrestraint, and exaggerated.

The singing style of Shaanxi Opera, as vigorous as the wind in Northwest China, is full of deep and strong emotions. Roaring, the singing style usually described by people when the opera is being sung, often refers to the distinguishing features of such character image as“Hualiar”(the male characters with a painted face) on stage, who habitually sings with the loudest voice, to the extent that his face turns crimson with excitement, and his neck swells with prominent veins. 

So there is a ballad in the folk culture: "People are simple and honest with strong personalities, and the Hualian's roar in Shaanxi Opera can break the sky. The audience down the stage is joyful, not worrying the stage may crush.”

If you have a chance to experience the charm of Shaanxi Opera. I believe that you will surely be affected by its passionate, high-pitched, and bleak atmosphere. 

However, you shall be psychologically prepared to see the Opera, because people say that "For Shaanxi Opera performance, firstly, we need a firm stage to prevent itself from collapse; secondly, the actors must be in good health so that they would not get too tired and ill; thirdly, the audience must be brave so as not to be badly scarred."

Just imagine, what an opera with such a momentum that could almost crush the stage! The momentum comes from its birthland - the Eight-Hundred-Li Qin's Land, upon which the opera was nourished by the unique human geography and historical environment. 

It was on this land where the arrogance of the Qin Dynasty, generosity of the Han Dynasty，and magnificence of the Tang Dynasty met and thousands of years of history were precipitated. As a result of such meetings and precipitation, flowing in Shaanxi Opera is the blood of being generous, high-pitched but a bit desolate.

Shaanxi Opera and the local people

Guanzhong (Guanzhong is also named Qinzhong) was ever the capital of many empires since ancient times. It is well-known that Beijing is now the capital of China. However, in ancient times, Chang'an, around now Xi'an City in Shaanxi Province, was ever the political, economic, and cultural center of China for a couple of times. In Chinese history, Chang'an was chosen as the capital by 13 empires altogether, and there were 71 emperors crowned here, among whom 57 emperors had their tombs built on this Eight-Hundred-Li Qin's land. Therefore, Shaanxi Opera, originating on this "imperial land”, was naturally endowed with the extraordinary magnitude of tolerance, arrogance, and generosity.

Friends who are interested in the history of Shaanxi Opera may read Talks aboutOperas of Yucun by Li Diaoyuan (another name is Yucun), the playwright of the Qing Dynasty, and Shannxi Opera by Jia Pingwa. a Chinese contemporary author.

People in Qin's land have inexplicable deep feelings toward Shaanxi Opera. When they are happy during their hard manual work, they may loudly roar a voice. The loud roaring agitates the sky, echoes all around, and inspires people to be extremely heroic. While they are sad and painful, they may sorrowfully and angrily roar a section of Shaanxi Opera. The mountains, rivers, and vegetation are touched and sentimentalized by such desolate, grievous, low and sentimental voice. Shaanxi Opera is something like a cord, with one head connecting Qin's land and the other head connecting Qin's people, interpreting the sorrow and joy of people's lives generation after generation.