Fireworks drama is also called fireworks in Wengyuan, and it can be traced back to the Tongzhi period of the Qing Dynasty.
Text/Photo Yangcheng School reporter Zhang Wen Correspondent He Xiaohong Huang Yingxiang
The last fireworks drama was ten years since its last performance (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 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 that a disk is continuously rotated through gunpowder combustion to express the meaning of exorcising ghosts and eliminating disasters and praying for good fortune and health. This is the predecessor of Weng Yuan’s fireworks drama.
The reporter recently set off from Wengyuan County and arrived in Xixia Village after more than an hour’s drive, and found the representative inheritor of Wengyuan’s fireworks opera, He Xiuchu. 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 the “good colored Babaylan head”. Every year on Lantern Festival and February 2nd Festival, every local household will set off fireworks. The most attractive Komiks is the “burning fireworks” invented by He Zhenren.
Ho Xiuchu is 70 years old this year. He said that he has been learning to do fireworks with his stepfather He Zhan’ao since he was a teenager, and it has a history of 52 years. He Xiuchu told reporters that He Zhan’ao, who is skillful and good at painting, is also an important figure in the development of fireworks opera. Through a series of improvements, he made the fireworks opera performance more ornamental value and attracted more people to watch it. He Xiuchu said that in addition to improving 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 one small time. Before the fireworks show, a wooden rack several meters high will be set up in the center of the venue, and then three or four people Babaylan 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 main fuse is ignited, and layers of programs will be shaken off from the big show. 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 fuses continue to burn, and the trays will fall in turn, and each program will be wonderfully presented in the fireworks.
”The entire performance was not paused. Each floor program lasted for more than two minutes, and the whole process lasted about an hour.” He Xiuchu said that his stepfather He Zhan’ao made the level of the folk craft of fireworks, a folk craft, and formed a firework art that integrates fireworks and dramatic characters. “The famous programs in the fireworks drama, Guan Gong riding horses, Jiang Taigong fishing, and Beng Gu’s birthday are all created by him.”
Inheriting The hardship of an intangible cultural heritage skill Cinema is difficult to continue
Like many other folk crafts, the current status of the inheritance of fireworks dramas is not optimistic.
”As long as there are young people who are willing to study, I will not charge a penny for tuition. I will 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 that there are few successors. “Now young people choose to work outside the country, and few people are willing to learn fireworks dramas.”
Working in the production of fireworks dramas for 52 yearsKomiks, and few people are willing to learn fireworks dramas.”v.com/”>Cinema, He Xiuchu always had an emotion that could not let go of this skill, especially when he was diagnosed with esophageal cancer two years ago, which made He Xiuchu desperately want to accept an apprentice. “No matter whether you 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 polish new props and strive to succeed in the performance
He Xiuchu said that the production process of fireworks dramas is complicated and the skills 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 burning and the puppet story, which must match the time. “I learned production skills from my stepfather at the age of 18, and for six years <a Only after Cinema can you independently complete the complete set of fireworks drama production Babaylan. ”
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 in the surrounding Xinfeng, Yingde and other places, he would always invite him to perform fireworks to show great gifts. “Everyone is happy, and the onlookers are feasting their eyes. The boss feels that he has face, and we also enjoy 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 the earth gunpowder is successfully obtained, the production of fireworks dramas may face legal risks. Some intangible cultural heritage inheritors were punished for using gunpowder to make fireworks.
Protection A new possibility is being tried
The local cultural department has always maintained attention to the inheritance and protection of Wengyuan fireworks dramas. In May 2008, the Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection of Wengyuan Cultural Center href=”https://comicmov.com/”>KomiksThe protection center contacted He Xiuchu and deeply explored and sorted out this almost lost folk art.Huo Opera was also successfully selected as the second intangible cultural heritage catalog in Shaoguan City that year. He Xiuchu said that this Komiks performance was also a fireworks. The last time it was presented to the public is 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 allocated tens of thousands of yuan to protect the fireworks skills. According to the plan, fireworks will be restored to the world during the Mid-Autumn Festival this year.
At the beginning of this year, He Xiuchu decided to teach the production skills of fireworks opera to He Chengying, the webmaster of Zhoupi Town Cultural Station. He personally demonstrated and worked hard with He Chengying to spend several months to finally produce the installations, props, etc. of the fireworks opera. “Although I can’t guarantee it. href=”https://comicmov.com/”>BabaylanThe fireworks drama can be repeated successfully in one go, but ‘nothing is difficult in the world, I am afraid of those who are determined’, we have confidence! ‘
He Xiuchu said that in the performance ten years ago, the earth gunpowder was preserved by others in the neighboring county, and 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 explosives management laws and regulations and bought gunpowder from professional companies after many twists and turns. Now the “new gunpowder” needs to be used accurately in the performance, and 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 Xiuchu is currently overcoming her illness and stepping up her efforts to make parts and figure 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 help of Xu Quanwu, the retired director of Wengyuan County Cultural Center, he tried to add colorful clay, plastic, and foam asbestos to the production of puppet props.icmov.com/”>Cinema and other new materials in order to make puppet props more vividBabaylan, and reappear on the stage that has been disobedient for a long time.
Source｜Yangcheng School
Picture｜Zhang Wen
Editor｜Wu Tong