*Baizi Opera

55.*Baizi Opera

Nominating Unit: Haifeng County, City of Shanwei

Baizi Opera is a type of drama performed in Haifeng and Lufeng Dialects. In the early Ming Dynasty, it was spread from southern Fujian to eastern Guangdong Province such as Hailufeng District. Having absorbed some folk arts such as hobbyhorse, qiangu, fisherman’s song and the music in Teochew Opera, Baizi Opera was performed in local dialects and formed its own style. At the beginning, Baizi Opera and Teochew Opera are both called Baizi Opera. Baizi Opera is named Hailufeng Baizi and Nanxia Baizi; Teochew Opera is called Teochew Baizi and Dingtou Baizi. Later on, Baizi Opera is only used to refer to Hailufeng Baizi.

The musical tune of Baizi Opera is characterized by Qupai Liantao style. With beautiful music, there are various kinds of singing such as linking up several songs, gunchang and a group of people echoing one person. There are seven people in the traditional band. The instruments that are used include a pair of drums, a pair of chui, and a pair of gongs. Afterwards both the string and wind instruments and the percussion instruments have increased.

Baizi Opera is performed in Hailufeng dialect. There are seven roles in the opera, namely the sheng, dan, chou, jing, gong, po and tie. The performance is given in a strict but not rigid order. Singing and dancing in the performance are full of vitality. The hand-to-hand fight in tights in the opera applies the southern martial arts. The stage is designed in a simple manner as to be convenient for move. Civil pieces are the strongpoint of Baizi Opera. But it also absorbs some martial pieces from Zhengzi Opera. The romantic stories are especially well performed in Baizi Opera. Complete scenes are often seen in Baizi Opera than the highlights of a single scene. The plays can be classified into small gong play and large gong play. The small gong play includes Zhengban small gong play, Fanxian play and folk songs. The tune of it is very lively, full of vitality and local flavor. While the music in large gong play is solemn and characterized by the high pitched tune.(https://www.daowen.com)

The major plays in Baizi Opera are called Eight lians, including Yingtai Lian (Schoolmate), Chenshan Lian (Story of Lijing), Gao Wenju Lian (Story of pearls), Qin Xuemei Lian (Sanyuan ji), Jiang Xingge Lian (Pearl skirt), Wang Shuangfu Lian (Linjiang tower), Yuan Wenzheng Lian(Huanhun) and Cui Mingfeng Lian, etc. In addition, there are outstanding traditional plays like White Crane Temple, Baishe Zhuan, Fangyou ji, Shuqin Yuan, Tianmen zhen and Bai luoyi as well as some modern plays such as Golden Chrysanthemum and Rea Coral. Baizi Opera is closely linked with Zhengzi Opera, which is also popular in the districts of Haifeng and Lufeng. Therefore it has formed the performing tradition of Banye Fan: at the first half of the night, martial pieces from Zhengzi Opera are given in mandarin; while civil pieces from Baizi Opera are performed in the latter half of the night.

After the founding of PRC, Baizi Opera has experienced a period of development and prosperity until the early time of reform and opening-up. As the entertainment industry develops and the aesthetic value diversifies, Baizi Opera is losing its audience. The traditional dramas and unique art form and stage craft are facing the danger of dying out.

Baizi Opera was selected into the list of the fi rst batch of state-leveli Intangible cultural heritage in 2006.