Gansu Folk Puppet Art (full text)
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Puppets were called puppets, Kui puppets and Ku puppets in ancient times. The plays performed with it are called puppet shows.
Puppet art has a long history of development in our country. The earliest puppets may be related to the funeral figurines of the slave society. The excavation of a Han tomb in Laixi County, Shandong Province in 1978 allowed us to see the actual puppets made in the Han Dynasty that could sit, stand, kneel, and be flexibly manipulated. This also confirmed the "Yanshi" recorded in "Liezi Tang Wen" "Creating magical puppets" and the possibility of the story "Chen Ping used puppet beauty to solve the siege of Liu Bang by Maodun" recorded in "Yuefu Zalu". According to Tang Duyou's "Tongdian" records: "Ku Puppet, also known as Kui Puppet, is a puppet who makes plays, is good at singing and dancing, and was originally used for family fun. It was first used in Jiahui at the end of the Han Dynasty." This shows that by the end of the Han Dynasty, puppets were already used for funerals and events, and had performance functions. By the Sui Dynasty, the production of puppets was highly developed, and it had developed from performing Baixi (a general term for ancient acrobatics), singing and dancing to performing story fragments, forming the prototype of puppet show (see "The Lost Relics of Daye" for details). In the Tang Dynasty, the art of puppetry became increasingly mature and sophisticated. According to "Miscellaneous Records of the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty", when Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty was forced to move to the west by Li Fuguo, he once wrote a poem about puppets: "I carved wood and pulled strings to become an old man. His chicken skin and crane hair were the same as the real ones. After a while, there was nothing to do." ", it's like a dream in life" (some say this poem was written by Liang Zuo), which vividly describes the lifelikeness of the puppet show at that time and the feelings of the viewers. Feng Yan wrote "Fengshi's Insights and Hearings": "In the Dali of the Tang Dynasty, Taiyuan Jiedu envoy Xin Yunjing was buried on the day of the funeral, and various Dao Jiedu envoys made sacrifices. The Fanyang sacrificial plate was the tallest, and the wood carving was for the Turkic fighting general Yuchi Egong. The opera, the movements of the organs, are no different from life,... and there is a statue of Xiang Yu and Han Gaozu meeting at Hongmen, which took a long time to complete." It can be seen that in the Tang Dynasty, puppets not only became an art form that performed complete stories for people to appreciate (although they also served funerals from time to time), but also developed to the point where they were "prevalent in Lu Shi" (see Du You's "Tongdian"). The Song and Yuan Dynasties were the heyday of the development of puppet art. According to the record of "Tokyo Menghua Lu" written by Meng Yuanlao of the Song Dynasty, there were many tile houses in Kaifeng, Bianjing (a place where entertainment venues were concentrated in the Song Dynasty city. Author's note), the largest of which was "Big and Small". Goulan (a performance venue for hundreds of operas and dramas. Author's note) has more than 50 seats" and "can accommodate thousands of people." In the Washili, "it doesn't matter the wind, rain, cold or heat, the stalls look at people like this every day" (Goulan is also named after the shed). In this kind of theater, puppet performances are naturally indispensable (Song Zhoumi's "Old Martial Arts" Vol. 2. There are records of "large and small full-scale puppets"). The prosperity of the puppet show at that time was also reflected in the variety of its varieties. The article "Washe Jishen" in Nedeweng's "Capital Chronicles" says: "All kinds of crafts have clever names... medicine-haired puppets,... suspended silk puppets , stick puppets, water puppets, and meat puppets. "In the Ming and Qing Dynasties, puppet art continued to develop, forming various branches and puppet theater types with various regional characteristics. At this time, the historical materials were more detailed and the records were mostly authentic and credible. Ming Dynasty painter and writer Tang Yin (Bohu) once wrote a poem describing a puppet: "Paper, clothes, threads and tendons, the joys and sorrows become real. He is clearly a spendthrift, but he plays tricks on others in front of others." The Ming Dynasty realist novel " "Water Margin" (Chapter 33) and "Jin Ping Mei" (Chapter 55 and 80) both have wonderful descriptions of puppet performances.
The earliest document with records of puppets is "Liezi Tangwen" compiled by the Wei and Jin people based on relevant historical materials: "King Mu of Zhou went on a hunting tour to the west and crossed Kunlun. He did not abandon the mountains and returned. Before reaching China, Tao had The present worker was named Yanshi. King Mu recommended him and asked, "What can I do?" Yanshi said, "I just ordered it to be tested. However, I have already made something. I hope the king will look at it first." King Mu said, "I will give it a try." The next day, Yanshi came to see the king, and the king recommended him, saying, "Who is the one who came with Ruo?" He said to him, "This is what I made, and it is someone who can advocate it." King Mu looked at him in surprise. He steps up and down, trusting people. He leads his Yi to sing according to the rhythm; he holds his hand and dances according to the rhythm. The king thinks that he is a real person, and he watches the end of the skill with Sheng Ji. The advocator blinked his eyes and summoned the king's concubines. The king was furious and wanted to kill Yanshi. Yanshi was so frightened that he cut the advocator into pieces to show the king. Fu Hui used leather, wood, glue, paint, white and black paint to do it. According to Wang Di's data, the liver, gallbladder, heart and lungs, spleen, kidneys, intestines and stomach, and the muscles, bones, joints, fur, teeth, and hair on the outside are all fake. However, if they are all intact, they will be as good as before. If you see Wang Shi, if your heart is broken, your mouth will be unable to speak. If the liver is disabled, the eyes cannot see; if the kidneys are disabled, the feet cannot walk. King Mu sighed with joy and said: "The ingenuity of man is the same as that of nature!" Shao Er drove him home. The history of puppets is precious and must be cited by all researchers. But where this story takes place is rarely discussed. Ancient Kunlun should refer to the Qilian Mountains in present-day Gansu Province. "Kuo Di Zhi" compiled by Li Qin and Xiao Deyan in the early Tang Dynasty said: "Kunlun is eighty miles south of Jiuquan County, Suzhou. ... Liang Zhangjun, and Ma Qian, the prefect of Jiuquan, said: ' Jiuquan Nanshan is the body of Kunlun...", "Hanshu Geography": "Dunhuang County, Guangzhi, Yihe Duwei governs Kunlun Barrier". Famous contemporary scholars such as Zhu Fangpu, Meng Wentong, Huang Wenbi, and Wu Wen have also verified that ancient Kunlun was the present-day Qilian Mountains. King Mu of Zhou returned from the Qilian Mountains to "unreached China". It can be seen that this area is undoubtedly in Gansu. Although this story is obviously exaggerated in terms of plot content, the emergence of movable puppets in that era was fully capable of production. This can be supported by the exquisite Shang and Zhou bronzes. Then, this record in "Liezi·Tangwen" can not only confirm the connection between today's Gansu area and Chinese puppets, but also prove the antiquity of Gansu puppets.
We can also see some traces of early puppets from Dunhuang murals and manuscripts. Among the murals of the Tang Dynasty in Cave 31 of the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang, there is a mural of "Playing with Young Children", which depicts a woman using her palms to perform a puppet game for the children around her. Wang Fanzhi's poem in the Dunhuang Manuscript states, "I was created to be like a person playing Guo Tu (another name for puppet theater from the Southern and Northern Dynasties to the Tang and Song Dynasties. Author's note.), my soul is like a rope, and my body is like a willow tree. Take the thin waist branch, □□□□ □. □□□At the end of the month, it is like lifting the tree and making a sound in the wind. It is invisible, and it affects the eyebrows. If the rope is broken, it is dry willow tree." "Vimalakirti Sutra Lectures" says: "It is also like a machine puppet, all pulled by a rope, singing or dancing, walking or walking, and then throwing it aside after the song is finished...". The appearance of puppets in the above manuscript may be performed to accompany Buddhist stories. It shows that as early as the Sui and Tang Dynasties, there were puppet theater performances in what is now Gansu. Although we cannot see the original puppets from that time now, its shadow can be seen in the ancient Gansu sculpture art tradition (Figure 1), especially in the fine wood carvings of Wuwei in the Han Dynasty unearthed in recent years (Figures 2 and 3). Regarding the history of puppets, there is an interesting legend in Longnan, Gansu: During the Spring and Autumn Period, King Zhuang, the king of Chu, came to the throne at a young age. He was lazy in government affairs and specialized in entertainment such as playing, playing, singing, and dancing. When the palace music and dance were tired, they wanted to find new ways to have fun, so they ordered the Yuehuang, the veteran minister in charge of music and dance, to go to various places to select more than 20 young men and women who were good at singing and dancing, and specially rehearsed some bands in the palace. Storyline song and dance show. Over time, the Moon Emperor's son, daughter-in-law and daughter also learned these performances with storylines. King Zhuang loved watching this kind of performance, and wanted to let the people know about this kind of entertainment, spread this kind of entertainment to the people, and enjoy it with the people. He ordered the Moon Emperor to take the palace team to perform among the people. This made the Moon Emperor feel embarrassed. As a minister, he would lose his status by performing for ordinary people. So he told King Zhuang: "I perform for the king, and it belongs to me." His duty is to perform for the common people, only to make the world laugh." After hearing this, King Zhuang thought it was reasonable, so he came up with an idea for him, and asked him to carve human figures out of wood, put on clothes, and imitate human movements. Cover it with a cloth tent and sing songs below. The common people can only see the wooden figures but not the real people. Isn’t it the best of both worlds? After hearing this, the Moon Emperor thought it was feasible, so he led his sons Tian Jun Dalang, Tian Jun Erlang, eldest daughter-in-law Chunhua, and Erlang. Daughter-in-law Qiuhua and daughter Jinhua went to the folk together with other musicians and dancers. Their performances were well received by the people, and soon many places followed suit and formed puppet troupes to learn performances. The Moon Emperor returned to the court and reported the situation to King Zhuang. King Zhuang was very happy and named the Moon Emperor the Patriarch of Puppetry. "The eight-character golden seal is used to summon gods and drive away ghosts, and August 15th is designated as the memorial day for the puppet ancestor. Nowadays, in the Longnan area of ??Gansu Province, there is still a custom of singing big operas to worship the king of Zhuang and small operas to worship the Moon Emperor (Ye) on August 15th. This legend has obvious folk cultural value and will be of certain significance to our study of puppet art.
Gansu is located in the upper reaches of the Yellow River and is one of the birthplaces of Chinese civilization. This has long been generally recognized by historians based on historical records and unearthed cultural relics. As an integral part of Gansu's ancient civilization, Gansu puppets also have a splendid and long history.
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Puppet show has different names in different places. For example, it is called "Playing Dogs and Profiting Children" in Beijing, "Zhongzhong Opera" in Fujian, and "Hanging Thread Opera" or "Wood Opera" in Guangxi. "Xuansi Opera" in Shaanxi, "Wooden Man Opera" in Jiangsu and Zhejiang, "Elbow Elbow Opera" and "Mu Nao Ke" in Sichuan, "Wu Nao Ke" in Longnan, Gansu, and "Yong (Elbow) Monkey" in central Gansu. ", "Playing with poles", "Mudhead", etc. From these names, we can generally see the production of puppets and the types of puppet shows. The more popular types now include "string puppets (hanging wire)", "stick puppets", "bag puppets", etc. As the development and continuation of meat puppets in the Song Dynasty, Longshang Iron Core (also called Gaodi) is still popular during the Spring Festival in Minxian, Tongwei, and Yuzhong (Figure 4), while water puppets, medicinal hair puppets and other puppets that were popular in the Song Dynasty There are not many types anymore.
According to field work research, some of the Gansu puppets we have seen were brought to Gansu by Shaanxi artists and Sichuan artists in the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China, and some were produced locally in Gansu (mostly in Longdong). Before 1960, chandelier puppets, bag puppets and bat puppets could still be seen in Gansu, but now only a small number of stick puppets remain.
The stick puppet consists of a head, a stick, water clothes, clothing (python, back, official clothes, pleats, etc.), helmets (handsome helmets, purple gold crowns, gauze hats, tie scarves, master helmets, etc. ), false beard (also called mouth strips, including full beard, three beards, one-character, open mouth, etc.), etc., and are also equipped with various props and scenery during the performance. (Picture 5 7) The puppets are divided into two types: large and small. The larger one is about 100CM in height, and the smaller one is about 80CM in height.
The heads of Gansu puppets are mainly carved from wooden materials. The head is composed of front and back parts and is hollowed out inside. Most of the eyes are equipped with pegs, which can flash up and down, or look left and right, and part of the mouth can open and close. , tongues can stretch and retract, and the faces are all painted with paint. Most of these heads are exquisitely crafted and exquisitely carved, fully reflecting the level of modern folk puppets.
In addition to being carved from wood, the heads of Gansu puppets are also made from "paper-reinforced mud", so they are called "mudouzi" in some places. In addition to using different materials, this type of head portrait production mainly transforms the art of sculpture into the art of shaping.
Gansu puppet makers have very high realistic skills in both carving and shaping, and Yue has the creative ability to grasp the typical characteristics of characters. They do not copy characters in natural life, but use idealized aesthetic concepts and Standard, depicting various dramatic characters.
The characters of Gansu puppets are generally similar to those of Qin Opera, divided into Laosheng, Xusheng, Xiaosheng; Laodan, Zhengdan, Xiaodan, Wudan, Matchmaker; Zhengjing (big painted face), Fujing (two painted faces); Ugly etc.
The most eye-catching feature of Gansu puppets is the facial makeup art painted on the heads of clean and ugly characters. It is the same as Gansu Qin Opera facial makeup, different from Peking Opera facial makeup, and also different from Shaanxi Qin Opera facial makeup. Partly influenced by the folk, it is similar to the local Shehuo facial makeup. In particular, it is not restricted by physiological conditions. When making the head blank, a certain part of the face is exaggerated and shaped according to different identities and personalities, creating conditions and laying a foundation for the facial makeup to highlight the character's characteristics and personality, and then through standardization Stylized decoration, deformation, and even freehand painting make it transcend the limitations of dramatic facial makeup. This will give full play to the special functions of facial makeup in distinguishing good from evil, distinguishing between loyal and traitorous, conveying praise and blame, and commenting on beauty and ugliness.
The facial makeup of Gansu puppets includes one head that is specially used for facial makeup, such as "Bao Gong", "Wang Yanzhang", etc.; some are multi-purpose, such as playing the role of "Cao Cao" with a big white face, and can also play "Qin Hui, Jia", etc. There is also a special kind of double-faced avatar, with a flower-like Xiaodan on one side and a green-faced demon with fangs on the other. For example, when playing the scene of "The Monkey King Three Fights the Bone Demon", it can be used as an instant transvestite. Change is also a major feature of puppet art. Its appearance adds a lot of luster to puppet shows. Although the characters of "Sheng" and "Dan" do not have facial makeup, they can play a variety of roles and replace each other. However, some typical avatars can only play characters with a certain identity, a certain play, and a certain storyline due to the stereotyped facial expressions on their heads. .
As a special makeup technique commonly used in Chinese opera to create stage images, the color of facial makeup has strict requirements. For example, red is used for loyal and heroic characters, yellow is used for solemn and powerful characters, and pink is used for modest and cheerful characters. , Use black for brave and upright characters, and white for cunning and sinister characters. However, different types of operas and different regions are not uniform in style and form, forming a variety of colorful schools.
Bao Gong is a character that everyone knows and is loved by young and old. In Peking Opera, Bao Gong’s facial makeup uses black as the base; while in Qin Opera, only black is painted on the forehead and other colors are used on the face (tangzi). Shaanxi is called "Purple Hall" and Gansu is called "Powder Hall". The most important symbol of Bao Gong is the "crescent" symbol painted on his forehead. Some masks add a sun on top of the crescent moon and draw "Yun Tianzhu". On this point, Shaanxi and Gansu are consistent. However, on an early puppet Bao Gong's facial makeup, the left side of the forehead is the moon and the right side is the sun, which is different from the facial makeup of Peking Opera and Qin Opera. According to an old artist: "This is similar to the early Qin Opera facial makeup, which is rare now." It can be seen that the early Qin Opera facial makeup has a profound connection with puppets. This Bao Gong puppet is a rare physical material for studying the art of Qin Opera facial makeup (photo 1).
Cao Cao is Emperor Wu of Wei. A politician, military strategist and poet during the Three Kingdoms period, he is an outstanding figure in the history of our country. But in "The Romance of the Three Kingdoms" and traditional dramas, he is portrayed very badly, as a white-faced traitor. Gansu puppets also follow the formula of traditional drama, with a big white face, treacherous and sinister. Triangular eyes give people a sinister and sinister look. But the author did not deal with this image in a simplistic way. On the whole, it gives people a sense of scheming. Isn't this in line with the identity that people call "a traitor in troubled times and a capable minister in governing the world"? (Photo attached) 3)
Wang Yanzhang, a member of the Five Dynasties, is famous for his bravery. He uses two iron spears in every battle. He is called Wang Iron Spear in the army. Traditional dramas such as "Goujiatan" perform Wang Yanzhang's story. On the portrait of Gansu puppet Wang Yanzhang, the most eye-catching thing is the facial makeup, with a big toad occupying the entire forehead. Legend has it that because he has good water properties and can stay underwater for three days and three nights, all Qin Opera facial makeup is treated this way. The toad's blood dripping (a red dot on the bridge of his nose) indicates that he will die. The postscript "Wang Yanzhang died in Goujiatan and suffered a loss from his baby." refers to the story that Li Yantang, Gao Xingzhou, Li Keke and others killed Wang Yanzhang and committed suicide in the battle of Goujiatuan (attached picture 7) .
Three cult leaders, figures on the list of gods, Lingbao Master, and Tongtian cult leader. The magic weapon "Fire Fan" he uses can emit thousands of rays of light. The colorful glow on his forehead represents the weapons he uses. The Tai Chi shape and the Bagua lines on his cheeks represent that he is the leader of Taoism. Gansu Geng School facial makeup does not draw Tai Chi pictures between the eyebrows, but draws Bajiao fans, which is obviously different from this puppet (attached picture 8).
Master Wen is a figure on the list of gods. The golden face of the puppet represents loyalty, and the flame pattern on the face represents his relationship with the Fire Spirit Cave and the Fire Spirit Madonna. His "celestial eye can shine" when it is opened. Not only can the puppet's eyes move, but the third eye "celestial eye" is also carved. , install the peg so that it can move. With such a heavenly eye, one can "look up to the thirty-three days of astronomy and down to the eighteenth level of hell." Naturally, one can distinguish between right and wrong (picture 9).
Liao Yin, the executioner in the famous drama "Journey to the West Lake". The facial makeup has a white face and two red lights on the forehead, which means that it is not a kind person, and triangular eyes, which means that it is vicious and fierce. In this avatar, we can see the ugly face of a man who has done many evil things and has ulterior motives. We can also see his treacherous, vigilant, abnormally fearful, and anxious mental state.
All executioners can use this avatar, which cannot but be said to be the superb ability of both form and spirit possessed by our predecessors when they created it (Appendix Figure 76).
Black (white) impermanence, according to folklore, are the messengers sent by King Yama to capture the soul when a person is about to die. Anyone who "sees" them will die a good death. Their appearance was described as very scary, with plain clothes, high hat, long hair and tongue sticking out. If you don’t believe it, this Gansu puppet head is the best proof. The deep-set eye sockets, intentionally asymmetrical eyeballs, convex cheekbones, and long tongue that spits and swallows all the time, create a frightening and creepy look (Appendix Picture 77).
Jingde, also known as Yuchigong, was a general in the Tang Dynasty. In the ninth year of Wude, the Xuanwumen Revolution helped Li Shimin seize the throne and became the founding father of the Tang Dynasty. His image is powerful and majestic, and he is often shown in traditional dramas. Also because he evolved into a door god who can exorcise ghosts and suppress demons, he has become a household name and a well-known figure. The craftsmen did not use the traditional image of the door god to create the head of this puppet superficially, but used expressive techniques to portray it as calm and indifferent, as if disdainful of the enemies or ghosts in front of it, giving it a sense of solemnity (attached) Figure 2).
These lifelike puppet heads also need to be matched with their own clothes, helmets, and some even need to wear prosthetic beards to be considered a complete puppet image (Figure 8). When assembling puppet characters, one must not wear them in a pretentious manner, and the costumes must be "rather worn out than wrongly worn." Taking Zhang Fei as an example, he had to wear a handsome helmet, wear a black hat (with four flags on his back), hold an "opening gun", and wear an opening for the general known as the "Plum Blossom Zhang" Beards (tied) and "ear hair" can make a reckless, brave, angry and "enemy of ten thousand" vividly displayed in front of people (attached picture 16). The "assembled" puppet characters are lifelike under the control of the actors. Some of the movements were exaggerated, including high boots and kicks; some were "real swords and guns", cutting off heads on the spot. In the play "Journey to the West", two Sun Wukongs of different sizes are created. When the big Sun Wukong is brave and resourceful, fights demons skillfully, does somersaults, hides under the tent and disappears, the little Sun Wukong can "fly into the clouds and ride on the mist" (use pine smoke to make fire). Atmosphere), rotating and rising to the sky (the rise of a thin string hanging), it is capable of "seventy-two changes", and its level of vividness cannot be achieved by "big drama".
Folk puppeteers generally develop excellent operating skills, some even while working. Hold the plow with one hand and hold the whip with the other hand while holding the straw hat to practice the basic skills of holding puppets. Therefore, during the performance, the actor controls the joystick, neither showing his control hand nor too low at the stage, and can perform smoothly on a horizontal line. This gives the audience the viewing effect of watching a puppet show as if they are watching a stage performance. . A good actor can support the pole with both hands and make various graceful movements freely and flexibly, making the puppet flexible and changeable, which makes the viewer beautiful.
Gansu puppet costumes, from the few remaining Qing Dynasty costumes, we can see how gorgeous and exquisite they are. Although the costumes after the Qing Dynasty have traces of copying, we can still see folk artists The expression of personality. For example, the pattern of the "dragon" on the python robe was influenced by the court culture of the Ming and Qing Dynasties in the early days. It was rigorous, standardized and similar, and became a formal symbol. However, among the people, especially through the creativity of women, the dragon has been boldly transformed and given new "life" to the dragon, turning it into the image in their own minds, which has obvious "folk meaning".
Gansu's modern puppet show was greatly influenced by the local opera art - Qin Opera. The singing style is mainly Qinqiang, and sometimes shadow tunes and local ditties are also sung. The dialogues are based on Shaanxi dialect. The tone is high-pitched and exciting, and he is good at expressing majestic, sad and angry emotions. In particular, those puppet troupes with their simple and honest Guanzhong phonology and smooth and lively Qin string strings are loved by the people of Gansu. The instrumental accompaniment is relatively simple, including erhu, banhu, flute, suona, trumpet (tuba), gongs, bangzi, bangu, etc. Banhu, also known as Qinhu and Huhu, has a clear and loud sound, and is the leading instrument in puppets, shadow plays and even Qinqiang operas; Erhu, with a low and soft sound, plays tragic and stirring tunes; Suona and trumpet have loud sounds. Warm, often used to enhance the atmosphere of scenes such as troop dispatches, banquets, celebrations, etc.; gongs, with crisp and bright sounds, are often used to enhance the atmosphere of generals or figures in robes and wars and sudden changes; pan drum, also called dry drum , a single-skin drum with a solid and crisp pronunciation. The bangu is the commanding instrument of the entire band, which drives the entire band to perform; Bangzi, commonly known as Huanhuanzi, has a high-pitched sound and is usually used for beating (strong clapping), and requires tenseness when passing through the door. In the atmosphere, you can also spend money to hit (beating the board, also called punching the eye).
The repertoire of puppet shows varies from troupe to troupe, and because Gansu is a long and narrow region with cultural differences, there are many repertoires. For example, a puppet troupe in central Gansu can sing more than 80 plays. There are "Wealth Picture", "Victory Picture", "Jinxiang Picture", "Foundation Picture", "Loyalty and Filial Piety Picture", "Rejuvenation Picture", "Three Flowers Picture", "Flaming Mountain", "Ten Thousand Character Mountain", "Wudang Picture" "Mountain", "Baimaguan", "Wuzikui", "Sunflower Well", "Long Fengxia", "Pearl Tower", "Cut the Red Light", "Iron Lotus", "Returning to the Fan", "Qianqiu Sword", "Taihu City", "Qiankun Embroidery", "Seven Wise Men", "Three Jinshi", "Soubei", etc. Although Gansu puppets are greatly influenced by Qin Opera, it is not difficult to find that they are not completely duplicates of Qin Opera.
It can be seen that puppet show is not a replica of local opera, but has its own tradition and system. Puppet troupes from all over the country often perform plays from "Three Kingdoms", "Water Margin", "Journey to the West" and "Fengshen". Some "big plays" can be performed for several days and nights, just like today's TV series. generally. Make the audience unable to bear to watch the next episode (1a).
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The period from the 1920s to the 1940s was a period when the economy and culture in most areas of Gansu gradually recovered from extreme depression. With the corresponding economic and cultural development, although puppet theater It has not formed a major performance type in various places, but it has also grown to a certain extent. Some major rural market towns have their performance footprints.
There is another very important reason why Gansu puppets developed during this period, which is to adapt to people's worship of various religious beliefs. Due to people's unreasonable response to natural disasters such as droughts, floods, earthquakes, hail, insect pests, and plagues, as well as certain natural phenomena, the worship of natural gods emerged and gradually became a folk tradition. Historical data about the use of puppet shows to ward off disasters, pray for blessings, and play music can be found in Article 10 of the "Prefect Zhu Ziyu" issued by the Neo-Confucian Zhu Xi of the Southern Song Dynasty when he was the governor of Zhangzhou County: "Restricting cities and villages, it is not allowed to use the name of warding off disasters and praying for blessings. "Plundering property and pretending to be a puppet" also says in Zhu Yu's "Pingzhou Ke Tan" (Volume 3) of the Song Dynasty: "Use puppets to entertain the gods and use them to conduct official affairs. If you meet someone who has the ability, you will be allowed to play." After a few games, when it was time to play, Zhang Le was playing with puppets... When it was time to play, he was chatting and laughing, and everyone was there, and the villagers gathered to watch." It seems that the history of puppets has been closely related to funerals, sacrifices, music to gods, warding off disasters, and praying for blessings since the Han Dynasty. In modern times, in some backward rural areas, in order to hope for good weather and good times. The harvest was plentiful and belief in various supernatural powers was still widespread. In rural areas across Gansu, gods such as "Ba Wa Zao", "Ox King", "Heavenly Medicine Ming Wang Ma Zu", "Water Plant King" and "My Mountain God and Land God" are also enshrined. "Eight wax" was originally the name of the ancient twelfth lunar month sacrifice. "Book of Rites: Jiao Special Sacrifice": "Eight waxes are used to offer sacrifices to the four directions." Zheng Xuan notes that "there are four directions to offer sacrifices to, and there are eight types of wax: the first is the second, the second is the secretary, the third is the agricultural, and the fourth is the watch. There are five categories of cats and tigers, six categories of squares, seven categories of water and insects, and eight categories of insects. Nowadays, the people have evolved Ba Wa into a god who eliminates pests and protects against disasters. "Mountain God" is a square god in folk customs and can be seen everywhere. But in different regions, people have different understandings of it, and their prayers are also different. In Yuzhong, Gansu, I once asked an old man: "What does the mountain god take care of?" The answer was: "He takes care of wolves." They prayed to the mountain god like this: "Mountain God, take good care of your dog, so that it doesn't call wolves to eat our livestock and harm our babies." It is said that a few decades ago, this place was sparsely populated and wolves were rampant. It can be seen how important every secular god is among the people, and how sacred they are in the hearts of the people. Every autumn, when new grain comes into the warehouse, people make sacrifices to repay their efforts, and one of the most important activities is to worship and entertain the gods - performing various dramas. "Big plays" (plays performed by characters) worship "big gods" (official temple fairs). "Little plays" (plays performed by shadow puppets and puppets) reward Fang Shen (the god worshiped in the village). This custom can also be seen in the "Qingyang Mansion Chronicles" compiled by Zhao Benzhi in the 26th year of Qianlong's reign in the Qing Dynasty: "Puppet shows (those who hold hands are called elbow monkeys, those who hold strings are called monkey plays) and shadow plays are also popular, and they are called small plays. I wish to perform more of it to worship gods in rural areas."
The puppet show is also convenient for activities, has a capable performer (about ten people), is not limited by time, can be performed day and night, and can be easily received by villages of all sizes. , was welcomed by people in various villages and formed its own world.
Due to people's reverence for various "gods", puppet shows are generally performed in temple courtyards and are conducted according to strict procedures. Before and after the performance of the main play, there must be "inviting the gods", "thanking the gods" or "recovering the gods". These two indispensable parts are not only the common psychological requirements of people in the atmosphere of the "special period", but also the "box master". ", the mysterious effect created for "god" by "god head" for its own needs.
After the devout worship, the "prologue" of the puppet show began. The heavenly official appeared on the stage accompanied by the children, and firecrackers were fired under the stage. Tianguan first sang: "On the first and fifteenth day of the lunar month, the temple door opens, and the child prodigy invites the gods to come. There are four seasons of public servants racing in the clouds. It is observed that the villagers of a certain county and a certain village have made a wish in front of the local god of fortune. One, today is the opening day. I will come in front of the Jiqing Hall. The audience of believers and disciples will kneel in front of the Jiqing Hall. Those who lead the sheep will lead the sheep, and those who serve the wine will serve the wine. They will offer incense with their left hand and turn into horses (burning paper) with their right hands. When people are sincere, God is responsive." He sang a poem by Bi Liu: "Outside the door, there are gold medals on the locust trees, and the crows dare not sing, just waiting for the phoenix to come." Tianguan sang in the opening line, expressing the audience's wish. Having built a bridge of "communication" between gods and humans, they naturally did not forget to show off their troupe.
Special attention is also paid to the first scene, which must be smooth and auspicious, such as "Loyalty and Filial Piety", "Fragrant Mountain Return of Wishes", "Taihu City", etc. The performance usually lasts for three to five days, with the leader (president) ordering plays on behalf of the people. At the end of the whole performance, there is a very important scene called "curtain call" - "thank God -", "send off to God", also called "return to God". The scene is equally solemn and solemn. Tianguan appears again and sings "… ...I have fulfilled my vow, and I will keep the plague, famine, and disease in this place on my sleeve and press it under the feet of the God King. It will never fall. The gentle breeze and gentle rain will fall every month. Evil winds and rains spread in the wilderness and deep mountains. One seed falls to the ground, and ten thousand grains return to the warehouse. Leave the door empty-handed and enter the door full.
A little child may live a long life. Good people meet and evil people stay away. When a wolf comes, it shrinks, and when a thief comes, it gets lost. Bless the people and horses of the party to be safe...". Then he left a poem: "This temple was built very smoothly. Duke Zhou decided to build it by Lu Ban, and stamped it on the Bagua stem, and his descendants will be princes. "Firecrackers were set off off the stage, and the "president" or "head of god" on the stage covered the "Tianguan" with red and colorful colors, and the atmosphere reached the final climax.
While fulfilling the mission of worshiping and entertaining gods, the final The main thing is to meet the spiritual needs of the working people. Due to the cold climate, most areas in Gansu can only grow one crop of crops every year, and it takes a long and harsh winter from autumn to spring. Cultural life is extremely poor. Only the annual puppet and shadow puppet shows are their limited cultural life and spiritual enjoyment. Puppet show condenses historical civilization, praises heroic epics, denounces current trends, and distinguishes between good and evil. Especially for those children, puppet show has truly become a part of Chinese history and culture. A textbook on culture and religion.
IV
Gansu puppetry has developed into modern times and has become a history of troubled times and mixed prosperity and decline. It is closely related to this era. Its fate is closely related, and its ups and downs are also a microcosm of the history of the northwest. In the early years of the Republic of China, there was an artist named Liang Wanfu who came from a family of puppets and shadow puppets. Forced by life, he left his hometown and took his son with his ancestors. The puppets and shadow puppets uploaded to him started performing in Liangdang, Gansu, and finally settled in Yuzhong, where he performed with local artists. In the 17th and 18th years of the Republic of China, the local area suffered from unprecedented drought, hail and floods. , pests, frosts, and plagues were prevalent! The disasters were severe, the roads were full of hunger, and the situation was extremely miserable. At this time, the puppet show was in trouble. With the invasion of China by the imperialist powers, opium, which had brought serious disasters to the Chinese nation, was also invading. Liang Wanfu became addicted to tobacco poisoning and had no choice but to sell the hard work of several generations to live in another country.
At the bottom of society, they struggled on the poverty line. In the 1940s, there was a puppet artist named Ma Siwa in Kang County who sang "Huazi Renyi" (Beggar) and "Spring" in "Eight Pieces of Clothes". After the "Taiwan Society", he had no livelihood and still worked as a beggar. This is the "Huazi Renyi" in real life. As the local folk proverb says: "Staying in a ruined temple at night and climbing to the stage (stage) in the day, wearing a black gauze on my head and feeling sad in my heart, I often Entering the bridal chamber as a bachelor and traveling around Kyushu in a robe." This is a true reflection of the poor life of the actors (a derisive name for drama performers in the old society) who were regarded as "low-class" at that time, and a true portrayal of their tragic fate.
In the mid-20th century, the birth of New China brought a new dawn to Gansu puppets. Local governments and cultural departments attached great importance to puppet art, and in 1957, Gansu Provincial Cultural Troupes were established. The Bureau organized the "Gansu Puppet and Shadow Puppet Performance", and related performances were also held in various regions. These activities greatly stimulated the development and prosperity of the ancient art of puppetry during this period. Among the performances in Gansu Province, there were performances in Yuzhong, Puppet troupes from Yongdeng, Kangxian and other places participated in the performance. These "little plays" that have served the folk Chuntai Temple Fair for generations have finally made it to the grand hall. And they have won various awards, which is the honor and glory bestowed on them by the times. But the good times did not last long, and the Cultural Revolution began. Overnight, they became the "Four Olds" and became the targets of eradication. Most of the puppets were burned, and most of the puppeteers wore the hat of "cow ghosts and snake gods" and underwent labor reform. After ten years of confinement and violence, old artists died one after another. At the moment when puppet art is ushering in a new revival, it is on the verge of danger because there are no successors, and some have disappeared on their own. Today, only in remote villages in Longdong, Gansu Province can you still see traces of puppet theater troupes driving donkeys and carrying theater boxes, traveling from house to house (Figure 8).
Tracing back to this period of history, we discovered the ups and downs of the fate of Gansu puppets. When they performed various ancient dramas and stories, they also staged a new historical drama during this most unique era in Chinese history. "Big Drama", a drama that reflects the history of modern Gansu?