Memorable Legacy

Baoding,a fertile land,has bred countless treasures.The tangible material culture inspires people,and various forms of intangible cultural heritage also leave people with unforgettable memories.

Unique Quyang Stone Carving Quyang Stone Carving has a long history,during the Tang Dynasty,it is the carving center of white marble statuary in northern China.During the Ming and Qing dynasties,Quyang stone carving technique was more exquisite.In the late Qing Dynasty,the works of Liu Puzhi(a carving artist of Quyang),The Crane and Armeniaca Mume Sieb,won silver prizes at the Panama Pacific International Exposition.After the founding of the People’s Republic of China,thousands of stone carving artists of Quyang participated in the construction of important projects such as the Great Hall of the People,the Monument to the People’s Heroes,the National Museum of Chinese History,The Military Museum of the Chinese People’s Revolution,Chairman Mao Zedong Memorial Hall and the restoration of the Tiananmen Square.In 1995,Quyang County was officially named as the“Hometown of Chinese Sculpture”by the State Council.There are more than 600 varieties of Quyang stone carvings,including works with traditional themes such as figures,gods and Buddhas,fruits and animals,themes of folk stories,myths,legends,and modern life,as well as circular sculpture and relief works such as inscriptions and architectural decorations.All the works are full of the charm of folk tradition and the breath of life.In the contemporary era featuring economic globalization,in order to further promote the development of the stone carving industry towards scale development,intensification and industrialization,Quyang County has formulated a development plan with the construction of the Oriental Sculpture City as its core,drawing a blueprint for the vigorous development of the stone carving industry.

Yishui inkstone of“Duan in the south and Yi in the north” Brush,ink,paper and inkstone are known as the“Four Treasures of the Study.”Once people in the painting and calligraphy circles talk about inkstones,they all know that there are“Duan in the south and Yi in the north,”which means that there are Duanzhou inkstone in the south and Yishui inkstone in the north.Yi inkstone is also known as Yishui inkstone.In the second list of national intangible cultural heritage published by the State Council,the traditional production process of Yishui inkstone was selected because of its typicality,representativeness and great influence.The inkstones are made of soft purple-gray sedimentary rocks along the Yishui River.They are naturally dotted with blue and yellow stripes,and with fine texture,moderate softness,and bright colors.The inkstones are exquisite and simple,moisture-proof and durable,easy for ink grinding,suitable for both calligraphy and painting,and ensure fluent writing.Yishui inkstones have been presented to foreign leaders and friends as national gifts many times.The Gui Inkstone,weighing 6 tonnes,is permanently collected by the Great Hall of the People,and The Giant Inkstone of Nine Chinese Dragons,weighing 30 tonnes,is displayed at the China Millennium Monument in Beijing.

Vivid Xushui Lion Dance Xushui Lion Dance is known as the“Source of Northern Lion Dance.”There is a historical tradition of lion dance in Beili Village of Xushui.During the Ming and Qing dynasties,it was performed in the form of flower fair show performances at country temple fairs and major festivals.Everybody in the whole village,old and young,would wear lion dance suits and perform various“unique skills.”The basic features of Xushui Lion Dance are exaggerated appearance,with a big lion head and smart eyes,which are both mighty and charmingly naive.During the performance,the performers can imitate the movements of real lions,such as watching,standing,walking,running,jumping,rolling,sleeping,and shaking hair.They can also show such difficult skills as“playing on benches,”“playing on plum blossom piles”and“jumping on piles.”In 1953,performers of Xushui Lion Dance participate in the national joint performance of folk arts in Beijing as representative of Hebei Province and won the championship.Later,they presented tour shows abroad many times on behalf of the country.They won the first prize at a competition of“The 4th World Festival of Youth and Students”held in Bucharest,Romania.On May 20,2006,Xushui Lion Dance was listed in the first batch of projects of national intangible cultural heritage by the State Council.

Laodiao,which is popular among people. Laodiao (Old Tune),or Laodiao Bangzi,is a traditional opera in Baoding and an influential local opera in Hebei Province.There is a popular folk saying in Baoding:“Stoves are dispensable for kitchens,and Laodiao is dispensable for theaters.”The origin of Laodiao can be traced back to the end of the Yuan Dynasty and the beginning of the Ming Dynasty.It was originally based on Hexi Tune.At the beginning of the Qing Dynasty,it absorbed the popular rhythmic talk art form called“Baoding Wooden Clappers and Drums”in the Baoding area to form a unique local opera.Laodiao has a strong local flavor,featuring a high-pitched male voice and a crispy female voice.In 1958,Premier Zhou Enlai and Vice Premier Deng Xiaoping watched Cross-Examining and Extorting the Husband in Hebei Auditorium (present-day Baoding Yuhua Road Post Office).Zhou Enlai met the actors on the stage,and Deng Xiaoping said happily,“Baoding has a treasure,and the Old Tune is not old.”Many plays of Baoding Laodiao,such as Accusation Between Pan and Yang and Loyal to Imperial Family,have been made into films.In 2008,Baoding Laodiao was listed in the second batch of projects of national intangible cultural heritage.Being well protected and inherited,Laodiao,the old folk opera,will surely glow more brilliantly.

Ha-ha Opera with the fragrance of soil Ha-ha Opera,also known as Liuzi Tune and He-he Opera,is a local opera popular in Qingyuan,Lixian,Xushui and Wangdu counties of Baoding.Ha-ha Opera has a long history and has been gradually developed and formed on the basis of the folk activity called“Shehuo”during the slack season or holidays.In the beginning,most of the plays featured young male roles,young female roles and clown roles,showing activities in people’s daily life,such as planting wheat,going to the fair,shooting birds,weaving.Later,it gradually developed into an opera with different roles and trades.Ha-ha Opera,drawing the language of people’s daily life,is popular,simple and lively.The structure of lyrics,similar to that of folk rhythmic talk forms,consists of upper and lower sentences.The singing,combined with local dialects,is easy to understand,simple,and lively.Representative plays of Ha-ha Opera include The Two Lanterns (Zhao Meirong Watches Lanterns),Li Xianglian Sells Paintings,The Golden Lock,Wang Xiao Shoots Birds,and Yang Ershe Begs Alms.