◎I.Three Songs of Changli
“Three Songs of Changli” (Local Yangko, Folk Song and Blowing Song) have been handed down among the people for thousands of years.The work and life of the ancestors of Changli were merged into the “three songs” and remained in the art forms.As time goes by, the charm of the “three songs” is becoming more and more prominent.In 1996, Changli was titled“Hometown of Chinese Folk Art” by the Ministry of Culture.
1.Local Yangko
Local Yangko belongs to the art of dance.According to historical records, Changli local Yangko was more popular in the Qing Dynasty.On every festival or festive day, local prestigious people went to local households to raise food and money, and organized the masses to perform local Yangko.This form was called “Chu Hui.” After the founding of the People's Republic of China, Changli County has carried out large-scale exploration,sorting and innovation of the local Yangko art, to make its regional and era characteristics richer.There are two forms of local Yangko in Changli,namely, Street Yangko and Venue Yangko.Street Yangko has a large number of participants who perform while walking along the streets.Street Yangko is led by a “front prince” or a “buあoon” in the front, who is followed by “girls”and “buあoons,” and the formation is changed from time to time.There are not many members for the band behind, but the music is loud to create a magnificent momentum.Venue Yangko is performed in a fixed place, performing some complete plays, also known as “Chu Zi.” These Venue Yangko works mostly reflect the local customs and people's life.Nowadays, men and women, old and young, have taken local Yangko as the main content of fitness in Changli.Some new “Chu Zi” works such as Catching Gamblers and Striving to Be a Star Civilized Household have endowed this ancient art form with more connotations.
2.Folk Songs
Folk songs belong to the art of singing.The contents of Changli folk songs include labor songs, stories, legends, love songs and so on.Labor songs are slogans that people shout with a sense of music in their work.There are “fishermen's songs” for fishermen when they are pulling fishnet, and “ramming songs” for constructors when they are ramming the foundation.One person leads the singing of folk songs and all the other people sing in harmony.The lead singer is affected by the scene, and the following singers adapt to circumstances.Sometimes folk songs are funny and humorous, sometimes sad and pathetic, and their tunes have a strong sense of rhythm.
Stories and legends are the songs adapted from some historical stories and folklores, mostly about local people and events, such as Han Xiangzi Became a Monk and The Brave Journey to Northeast China.The life category of folk songs draws a wide range of materials, some eulogize the labor scene,some reflect the festival joy, and some include hawkers' hawking tune.Such folk songs are full of variable tunes and rich vitality.
3.Blowing Songs
Blowing songs belong to the art of playing.Blowing songs are mainly played with suona, accompanied by a drum and a set of small cymbals.Sheng, wind instrument, flute, huqin and other Chinese musical instruments are introduced for larger scenes.The technique of playing Changli's blowing songs is mostly handed down from father to son, but some performers learn it from their teachers at an early age as a means of living.
In the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China, a number of influential performers of blowing songs emerged in Changli, with “three Tous” as the representative.The “three Tous” are Gu Bingzhu with the stage name of Reng Tou, Chen Yongcheng with the stage name of Cheng Tou, and Wu Diankui with the stage name of Li Tou.In addition, Wang Deyi, Chao Zhendong, Wang Yuequan and others were also famous and influential at that time.Traditional blowing songs were only played at weddings, funerals and festivals.Nowadays, they are mainly used as the accompaniment of local Yangko songs or large-scale celebration gatherings, while rarely performed for weddings or funerals.