Fireworks drama is also known as Babaylan 1990 cloth draw for burning fireworks, which can be traced back to the Tongzhi period of the Qing Dynasty
Text/Picture Yangcheng School reporter Zhang Wen Correspondent He Xiaohong Huang Yingxiang
The last fireworks drama was performed ten years agoBabaylan 1990 cloth draw (Data picture, provided by Wengyuan County Cultural Center)
Wengyuan Fireworks Drama is a folk technique originating from Zhoupi Town, Wengyuan County, northern Guangdong. It was selected into the second batch of intangible cultural heritage in Shaoguan City in 2008. Because earth and gunpowder are under control and inheritors are difficult to find, this once glorious performance skill is on the verge of losing, and the last performance was ten years ago. With the 70-year-old representative inheritor of Weng Yuan’s fireworks drama, He Xiuchu, diagnosed with esophageal cancer two years ago, the pace of the loss of Weng Yuan’s fireworks drama has further accelerated. The reporter recently learned from Wengyuan County that the local government is stepping up the “rescue protection” of fireworks opera skills. This Mid-Autumn Festival, the fireworks drama that has been passed down for a hundred years is expected to shine again after ten years of “extinguishing”.
Origin: A creation from “colored head” to art
Fireworks drama is also called burning fireworks in Wengyuan. It can be traced back to the Tongzhi period of the Qing Dynasty. The founder He Komiks 1960 witch clothes draw Zhenren learned to make fireworks since childhood, and later made a living by making and selling fireworks. In order to improve sales, He Zhenren invented the “burning fireworks”, which means driving a disc to rotate continuously through gunpowder combustion, expressing the meaning of exorcising ghosts and eliminating disasters and praying for good fortune and health. This is the predecessor of Weng YuanKomiks 1960 witch cloth drawfireworks drama.
The reporter recently set off from Wengyuan County and Cinema 1950 witch cloth drawAfter more than an hour’s drive, he arrived at Wuxia Village and found Komiks 1960 witch cloth draw to WengyuanThe representative inheritor of the fireworks drama, He Xiuchu, is the old man. Talking about the origin of the fireworks drama, he said that although He Zhenren’s version of “burning fireworks” only lasts more than 2 minutes, it is still popular because of its “good luck”. Every year on Lantern Festival and February 2nd Festival, every local household will set off fireworks. The most attractive one is the “burning fireworks” invented by He Zhenren.
Cinema 1950 witch cloth draw He Xiuchu is 70 years old. He said that he has been learning to do fireworks with his stepfather He Zhan’ao since he was a teenager, and he has a history of 52 years. He Babaylan 1990 cloth drawXiuchu told reporters that He Zhan’ao, who is skillful and good at painting, is also an important figure in the development of fireworks dramas. Through a series of improvements in Cinema 1950 witch clothes draw, he made the performance of the fireworks dramas more ornamental value and attracted more people to watch. He Xiuchu said that in addition to improving his skills, He Zhan’ao also increased the number of fireworks shows from five or six to more than ten, and the performance time also extended from ten minutes to about an hour.
Before the fireworks show, a wooden frame several meters high will be set up in the center of the venue, and then three or four people will work together to hang the large play cylinder with a diameter of more than one meter on the rack. When the performance begins, the fuse is ignited, and layers of programs will be shaken off in the drama tube. Each program is fixed by a bamboo fire-insulating tray. There are thin ropes and fuses connected between the trays. Starting from the bottom layer, the fuse continues to burn, and the trays drop in turn, and each program will be presented wonderfully in the fireworks.
”The whole performanceKoThere is no pause in the middle of miks 1960 witch cloth draw. Each layer of program lasts for more than two minutes, and the whole process lasts for one hour. “He Xiuchu said that his stepfather He Zhan’ao made the level of fireworks opera, a folk craft, continuously improve, forming a firework art that integrates fireworks and dramatic characters. “He created the famous programs in fireworks opera, Guan Gong riding a horse, Jiang Taigong fishing, and Beng Gu’s birthday. ”
Inheritance The difficult continuation of an intangible cultural heritage craft
Like many other folk skills, the current status of the inheritance of fireworks opera is not optimistic.
”As long as there are young people who are willing to learn, I will not charge a penny of tuition, and I will definitely teach him everything I know. “When talking about the inheritance of fireworks dramas, He Xiuchu was very helpless. He said that the most regrettable thing at the moment is Komiks 1960 witch clothes draw is a successor. “Now young people choose to go out to work, and few are willing to learn fireworks dramas. ”
After 52 years of being a fireworks drama production, He Xiuchu has always had an unsatisfactory feeling about this skill, especially when he was diagnosed with esophageal cancer two years ago, which made He Xiuchu desperately want to accept a disciple. “No matter whether he can make money or not, the things that our ancestors have passed on for hundreds of years must not be lost in my hands! ”
He Xiuchu and others polished new props and strived to succeed in the performance
He Xiuchu said that the production process of fireworks dramas is complicated and the technical requirements are high, which is also an important reason for the difficulty of circulation. To make the performance complete and smooth, you must accurately budget the rhythm of the gunpowder wire combustion and the puppet story, which must match the time. “I learned production skills from my stepfather at the age of 18, and only after six years can I complete the production of the full set of fireworks dramas independently. ”
Recalling the grand performance of that year, He Xiuchu said that whether it was the Lantern Festival, or the folk wedding, childbirth, or birthday, Weng Yuan local and surrounding Xinfeng, Yingde and other places. Komiks 1960 witch cloth draw people always invited him to perform fireworks to show a great gift, “EveryoneEveryone was happy, and the onlookers feasted their eyes. The boss felt that he had face, and we also enjoyed it. ”
He Xiuchu said that one reason for the gradual fading of fireworks drama is the state’s control over gunpowder. Earth gunpowder is an indispensable raw material in the production of fireworks dramas, but due to their control, it is difficult to obtain now. Even if you successfully obtain earth gunpowder in Babaylan 1990 cloth draw, the production of fireworks dramas itself may face legal risks. Intangible cultural heritage inheritors were once punished for using gunpowder to make fireworks.
Protection A new possibility is being tried
For the inheritance and protection of Wengyuan fireworks dramas, the local cultural department has always been Babaylan 1990 cloth drawKeep attention. In May 2008, the Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection Center of Wengyuan County Cultural Center contacted He Xiuchu to deeply explore and organize this almost lost folk art. The fireworks opera was also successfully selected into the second batch of intangible cultural heritage catalog in Shaoguan that year. He Xiuchu said that this performance was also the last time the fireworks opera was presented to the public eye, more than ten years ago.
He Xiuchu is telling the staff of Wengyuan County Cultural Center about the grand occasion of the fireworks performance that year
After learning about the current status of the fireworks inheritance and the physical condition of the representative inheritor He Xiuchu, the Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection Center of Wengyuan County Cultural Center and the Zhoupi Town Government decided to implement the “rescue protection plan” and allocate tens of thousands of yuan to protect the fireworks skills. According to the plan, the fireworks will return to the world during the Mid-Autumn Festival this year.
At the beginning of this year, He Xiuchu decided to teach the fireworks production skills to He Chengying, the stationmaster of Zhoupi Town Cultural Station, who personally Babaylan 1990 clothes draw demonstrated himself and worked hard with He Chengying. He spent several months finally producing the installations, props, etc. of the fireworks show. “Although we cannot guarantee that the fireworks show will be successful in one go, “but there is nothing difficult in the world, I am afraid of those who are interested.” We have confidence! ”
He Xiuchu said that ten yearsCIn the performance before nema 1950 witch cloth draw, earth gunpowder was preserved by others in the neighboring county. It took a lot of effort to find it. It is undoubtedly more difficult to find earth gunpowder now. In order to solve the problem of gunpowder leads, they followed the national explosive management laws and regulations and after many twists and turns Komiks 1960 witch cloth draw bought gunpowder from a professional company. Now, if the “new gunpowder” is used accurately in the performance, they also need to slowly get in with He Chengying.
In order to welcome the fireworks performance that is about to reappear in front of the world, He Xiu was overcoming the pain at the beginning and stepped up the rush to make parts with He Chengying, and figured out new techniques for using gunpowder. He Xiuchu hopes that the fireworks show will be more perfect, outstanding and more enjoyable. For this reason, he continues to innovate and work hard on props. With the assistance of Xu Quanwu, the retired director of Wengyuan County Cultural Center, he tried to add new materials such as colorful clay, plastic, foam asbestos to the production of puppet props, so that the puppet props will be more vivid and reappear on the stage that has been disastrous for a long time.
Source｜Yangcheng School
Picture｜Zhang Wen
Editor｜Wu Tong