Dongshan Tongling Yulexuan Nanyinshe

As we all know, Nanyin, known as "the elegant rhyme of the court", is a very elegant quyi widely circulated in Quanzhou. In Tongling, a remote town in Dongshan Island, Zhangzhou City, there is also a "Royal Lexuan Nanyin Society" that has been established for more than 300 years, but few outsiders know it. The author recently interviewed this Quyi troupe because of the convenience of work.

Royal Lexuan Nanyin Society is located in Tongxing Village, Tongling Town. We found a residential building in the east of Wenfeng Community 130. The plaque of "Imperial Le Xuan" is very eye-catching, and the couplets on both sides: "Xiao Sheng blows white snow in Yuyuan Garden, and Ling Huang dances with music" are thought-provoking. When you enter the porch, you will immediately feel a strong musical and artistic atmosphere. There is a niche hanging on the wall, and the forehead of the niche is written in regular script "Langjunfu". The couplet on the niche is: "Dong Xiao Tan Ban directs guests, Gai Hua sings through the moon". The niche is dedicated to the statues of Meng Changjun, the ancestor of Nanyin, the general of Shu, Zhao and Prince Meng Yuanji after the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms. There is a rehearsal table less than 30 square meters in the porch. A row of wooden cabinets near the wall in front of the stage store pipa, flute, two-stringed and three-stringed instruments and a lot of photos. Most of these photos record the historical scenes of the exchange of visits between Royal Lexuan and friends from Taiwan Province Province, the Philippines and Macau. There are also many pictures hanging on the wall, mainly the introduction of Nanyin, the records of decades of activities, newspaper reports and so on. What caught the author's attention was that there was a thick stack of music on a shelf in the middle of the house. These music scores are all carefully printed music scores of Miyachi, marked with many symbols that laymen simply can't understand. President Yang told me that the tradition of Nanyin must follow the ancient notation of Miyachi notation, and the symbols on it are playing fingering. This obviously reflects Nanyin's treasure and deep affection for tradition. President Yang was particularly excited. He showed me the pipa in the cupboard carefully, saying that it was handed down for hundreds of years, with Chinese fir as the back cover and paulownia as the panel. According to the legend in Nanyin industry, in ancient times, the pipa had to dig out a girl's coffin from the mountain, which was deeply pure. Nanyin's pipa is different from ordinary pipa and is called "Nanpa". When playing, you must hold the instrument obliquely according to the ancient method, which is different from the vertical grip of "Beipa".

There are only 9 fish Le Xuan members attending the forum, including Yang, 3 boys and 6 girls. When I asked them to demonstrate, I didn't expect that they were all generalists and could sing and play. I can play flute, pipa, three strings and two strings. The flute is deep and vigorous, like a song and resentment; The second string is rough and smooth, such as running water; Pipa lively and crisp, such as pearls falling on a jade plate; The three strings are bright and light, like a clear stream. Singing with emotion is crazy and fascinating. Singers hold clappers, some hold bells, accompanied by Four Treasures of the Study. Every musician is extremely dedicated and serious, and what he conveys to the audience is a feeling of sacredness, awe and affection.

President Yang told the author that Nanyin originated in the pre-Qin period, flourished in the Tang Dynasty and took shape in the Song Dynasty. It is one of the most primitive types of music in China. Known as "the living fossil in the music history of China", it is popular in Quanzhou, Fujian, where it is sung in Minnan dialect. It is the oldest existing ancient Han music in China. Royal Lexuan was built during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty, which has been more than 300 years since. When Nanyin was introduced to Dongshan, it may have started to do the community earlier. According to the textual research of Xu Yongzhong, a scholar of literature and history, it is recorded in the ninety-fifth volume of Song Zhi and the eighth volume of Collection of Literature and History Materials of Zhangpu County that in 965 AD, Chengdu was attacked, and Hou Shu was unable to resist. After Meng Chang surrendered to the Song Dynasty, he was escorted to Bianjing, appointed as a proofreader and secretary-general, and appointed as the King of Qin. Meng Chang died on the seventh day when he was named King of Qin. At the age of 47, he was made king of Chu. His concubine, Mrs. Hua Rui, is beautiful and good at music, and has won the favor of Song Taizu. After entering the Song Palace, Mrs. Huarui and 139 Xichuan musicians introduced Meng Chang's favorite ancient music to the teaching workshop and became the court music of the Song Dynasty. Later, before and after it was introduced to Quanzhou, it was spread to Zhaojiabao in Zhangpu by Wang Kuangmei's 11th grandson and Zhao Ruohe, the king of Minchong County, and then to Tongshan (which belonged to Zhangpu County at that time). Therefore, the descendants of Dongshan Nanyin respectfully call Meng Chang "grandfather" and "grandfather's ancestor", and hold a grand event to worship "grandfather's ancestor" on February 12 of the lunar calendar every year. What is more special is that in addition to the ruins of Le Xuan Imperial Palace, there are two small temples in Tongxing Village to commemorate Meng Chang, one is called Le Xuan Imperial Palace, and the other is called Lang Jun Temple, also called Leju Imperial Palace. When the two temples held sacrificial activities, they attracted other folk artists and ordinary people outside Nanyin to follow, praying for protection and skill improvement. Friends from all over Nanyin Community unanimously recognized that Nanyin groups in other areas only offered sacrifices to the statue of Meng Changjun in the activity place, and there were no other temples built independently, only the "Lang Jun Temple" built in Dongshan. This is a unique cultural phenomenon in Dongshan County, where art and belief culture are closely combined. When people from all over the world come here to communicate or sing, they must also go to Lang Jun Temple to hold worship ceremonies.

During the discussion, the author saw four golden lacquer lion woodcarvings on the rehearsal platform in Li Xuan, which were very lovely. When I asked why, President Yang went on to tell this story:

According to legend, during the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty, Quanzhou Nanyin Group passed through Li Guangdi (1642-17 18), whose real name was Jin Qing, whose real name was Hou An, whose real name was Rongcun, a native of Quanzhou, Fujian Province, and a famous official in Qing Dynasty and Neo-Confucianism. Kangxi was a scholar in the ninth year, and was recommended by Hanlin editor, official department minister, and Wenyuange University. Jin Jing participated in the musical performance of Emperor Kangxi's birthday. When playing, musicians always cross their legs in order to keep the instrument stable on their legs. Li Guangdi realized that such a gesture was not only indecent, but also disrespectful, for fear of causing displeasure to the emperor, so he explained to the emperor that it was a traditional habit. Emperor Kangxi immediately ordered two golden lions in the palace to be used by musicians, which not only solved the problem of stabilizing musical instruments, but also appeared very elegant. After that, the golden lion gradually evolved into four, which made all four musicians enjoy the honor of "stepping on the golden lion". This became the statute of Nanyin to play music, which has been followed ever since. Emperor Kangxi loved Nanyin very much and intended to let Quanzhou Nanyin Orchestra stay in Beijing as permanent court music. But anxious to return, a string friend of Quanzhou, did not dare to violate the sacred will. The next day, when they performed, they sang a song "Birds Return to the Nest" to show their intention. Enlightened Emperor Kangxi got the message, so he approved them to return to China and gave them an umbrella, which read "Clear the Canal and Command".

After Nanyin's autobiography was introduced into Dongshan, it has been continuously passed down. Although it has experienced twists and turns, it has been sung for more than 300 years and has been attacked from generation to generation. Until 1950s and 1960s, many descendants still carried out activities such as teaching, singing, welcoming art and folk children's drama. Especially every year, at Guandi's Christmas, the royal music hall is indispensable when you step on the street to worship God. However, in the "unprecedented" period, the activity came to an abrupt end. 199 1 year1October 16 (double ninth festival), Yulexuan resumed business and hired Zhang, a master of Nanyin art in our province, to teach in my school. Today, Yu Lexuan's artistic level is constantly improving. I often exchange visits, sing and exchange art with string friends in Quanzhou, Xiamen, Shishi, Taiwan Province Province, the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Macau. Le Xuan will be invited to attend every Nanyin Conference around the world. June 2005 1 1 Invited to attend 14 Asian Art Festival and1China Nanyin Conference sponsored by the Ministry of Culture and the provincial government. In the concert, musicians Yang Shunmin and Chen Xuexuan sang Nanyin Traditional Music. After that, he participated in the 2015165438+10/2 1-24 TV Quyi Grand Prix held in Jinjiang, Fujian, and Yu Lexuan won the second prize in the amateur group of the whole province by performing Drum Music.

Dongshan Nanyin has been listed as an important project in the Master Plan of Minnan Cultural and Ecological Protection Zone and a provincial intangible cultural heritage project, which has been recognized by the Ministry of Culture. Yang, president of Royal Lexuan, and Zhang Fulu, a musician, were awarded the titles of municipal and provincial inheritors. 20 15 Dongshan County was awarded the first "Hometown of Chinese Quyi" by the Chinese Quyi Artists Association. On August 20th, Jiang Kun, Chairman of Chinese Quyi Artists Association, personally went to Dongshan to award the license. At the awards party, Yu Lexuan's performance was well received by the experts present.

At present, Yulexuan is committed to the further excavation and arrangement of Nanyin art, the improvement of artistic level, wider artistic exchange and the cultivation of the younger generation.

I want to end this article with a little poem (embedded with "Dile and Xuan Zan"):

The Forbidden City has been singing for a long time.

Music and art are long, and shadows are dancing.

Who can know Xuanyuan through the ages?

Praise me that China has good songs.