The development of Hequ Ren Duo and traditional plays

Hequ is known as the "Ocean of Folk Songs". In the Ming Dynasty, "every household had a new score of string songs" and "children and elders all sang songs". The two-person stage is its main content. Today, there are more than 70 plays and more than 70 famous songs handed down. Since the authors, performers, and appreciators are all ordinary workers who grew up drinking water from the Yellow River and eating sour rice, the duo has a rich local flavor and distinct people's character. A bright and wonderful flower.

When did the two-person stage originate? In the play "Playing the Back Set", it is sung: "The real dragon came out of the Qing Dynasty, and Grandpa Qianlong ascended the throne. After he ascended the throne, a drama appeared. This drama appeared in Shanxi Phoenix City". "Hequ County Chronicle" records: During the Taiping and Xingguo years of the Song Dynasty, the Huoshan Army was established and later changed to Huoshan County. Jin changed its name to Weizhou and Hequ County. Therefore, the rule is in the present county and village. It was not until the 29th year of Qianlong's reign in the Qing Dynasty that the county government was moved to Hebaoying. The old county seat is surrounded by mountains and streams, winding and winding, resembling a "phoenix spreading its wings", so it is known as the "Phoenix City". "This play takes place in Phoenix City, Shanxi" refers to Hequ. The representative work of the duo's "Walking to the West Exit" has the lyrics: "I live in Taiyuan Prefecture, and my father's name is Sun Peng'an." Hequ was affiliated to Taiyuan Prefecture in the Ming and Qing dynasties. There is also: "I lived in the ancient city on the first day, in Nalin on the second day, and on the third day I climbed over the dam beam, with tears in my eyes." The route and store entrance from the river meander to Inner Mongolia are very accurate. Qianlong ascended the throne in 1736, and the two-person TV series " "Growing Foreign Smoke" is about the thirteenth year of Daoguang, that is, 1833, while "Going to the West Gate" is about the fifth year of Xianfeng's reign, which is 1855. It can be seen from this that the prototype of the two-person stage existed at least 200 years ago.

According to "Suiyuan Tongzhi": "Thus, the people in the mainland who moved for business, worked in agriculture, and returned in spring and autumn, also gradually moved from wandering to settling down..." All classics belong to The nearby banner lands have become the land of agriculture and animal husbandry, where the Mongols and Han people live." Hequ artists traveled to Inner Mongolia and Shaanxi to make a living performing arts, and the "playing art" spread to Inner Mongolia and other places. Fan Liu, Fan Ercang, etc. later became famous actors in Inner Mongolia. Earlier, there were "Lao Bai Ling Dan", "Suo Suo Dan" and others. These are all Hequ artists who settled in Inner Mongolia. Inner Mongolia also regards them as the ancestors of Errentai.

The development of the two-person stage has gone through six stages: "playing a seat", "playing a toy", "stirring the snow", "making a soft package", "amateur troupe" and "professional theater troupe".

(1) "Double Tune"

The two-person stage developed from folk songs. The original and simplest form is called "Mountain Qu'er", which is improvised by the people and sung duet across the mountains, regardless of the form. Later, it was gradually accompanied by flute and sihu. In the winter leisure season, people gather around to sing and leave happily. This is "playing a seat". Dazuoqiang was first produced in Tangjiahui and Hehui before Daoguang of the Qing Dynasty. Famous artists include Zhang Santang and others. Because the singers couldn't help but dance while singing. With the addition of facial expressions and movements, playing in a sitting tone gradually developed into a "playing art".

(2) "Da Wanyi'er"

The name of "Da Wanyi'er" comes from "Shehuo Wanyi". "Shehuo Entertainment" is the general name for the folk Spring Festival entertainment activities in Hequ. It includes three types: "playing things", "playing things" and "social fire". All performances with music, such as Yangko, stilts, trolleys, Taoqing, duo, and eight-music performances, are collectively known as "playing arts." Purely dance performances such as dragon lanterns, land boats, lion dances, bamboo horses, carriages, pole carriages, wheel dances, laluqi, dumb old wives carrying their wives, etc. are generally called "playing arts". Any form of bright lights, such as lanterns, fireworks, nine-curved lanterns, and charcoal fire dragons, is commonly known as "social fire".

It has always been a folk custom to go from house to house and go to the yard to play fire dragon entertainment. Among all forms of entertainment, only if one is ugly, even the silk string troupe of only six or seven people can perform in every courtyard. Therefore, it is very popular among the masses, and gradually the term "playing games" is used exclusively by them.

In the first month of the first year of Xianfeng, Zhang Xingwang and other members of the Tang Family came to the theater to perform programs such as "Red Cloud" and "Celebrating Birthday". After that, the "Mawang Society" in Xunzhen, the "Xigua Society" in Wuhuacheng, and the "Helu Society" in Chengguan also imitated and promoted it, and "playing toys" became popular.

When the "Wanyi'er" troupe performs in the courtyard, the host always entertains them with "oiled food", fruits and shochu, which is commonly known as the "courtyard ceremony".

(3) "The Wind Stirs the Snow"

In the ninth year of Guangxu's reign, the Tang Jiahui Sanguan Club organized a Taoist class and a "Wanyi" class to perform on the same stage, known as "The Wind Stirs Snow" Snow". This is the first time that a duo has appeared on the theater stage. This form of performance was active in the border areas of Shanxi, Shaanxi and Suiyuan provinces until the early years of the Republic of China. There is Wu Shengxiang in Tangjiahui Village, who has recorded and organized several two-person programs such as "The Little Widow Visits the Grave" for performances. The original still exists today.

(4) "Beating the Soft Pack"

The "Beating the Soft Pack" is a professional performance team composed of the class leader and the team members. There are only about 10 people in each class. Because the costumes and props are simple, they only carry a few baggage. Therefore, it is called "soft bag". The leader of the class is called "Out of Dangzi", and the person in charge of the class is called "Into Dangzi". Such performances rarely take place on stage, and are mostly performed in the form of "street stalls". Going to ancient fairs, temple fairs, "careers" (weddings and funerals), and "seasons" (such as cutting foreign cigarettes, going to granaries, etc.), visiting ferries, treasure bureaus, shops, and big stores. On the streets, in courtyards, and in halls, there are people who A high table can be used for performances. Some performance rewards include money, while others include grain, fruits, food, etc. Actors are assigned shares based on their performance level and costumes and props based on quantity and quality, and dividends are paid monthly or quarterly, which is called "open shares." Performing for dignitaries sometimes earns some "rewards".

From the late Qing Dynasty to the Republic of China, the more famous "soft bag" teams include: the teams of Li Tiesuo, Yan Ba2, Jian Ermao, Fan Ercang, Fan Liu and others. They were active in northwest Shanxi, Suiyuan and other vast areas, and recruited a large number of apprentices to teach their skills. At the same time, the form of "hat-wiping show" was invented, in which one actor played several roles by changing the way he wears his head. Plays performed by multiple people appeared, such as "The Little Widow Visits the Grave".

(5) Amateur Theater Troupe

After liberation, the duo theater gained new life. In the 1940s, there were more than 30 amateur theater troupes in the county. In addition to traditional performances, they also performed "Little Cowherd", "Zhaolu Tiao", "Pocket", "Twelve Sickles", "Couple Literacy", Transplanted and self-written programs such as "Brothers and Sisters Open up Wasteland". He also performed on the same stage with the "July Theater Club" many times. The most outstanding one is the Daiyuedian Amateur Theater Troupe. Young people from the village, including Li Fazi and San Houyan, studied under their masters before liberation and formed their own "soft bag" troupe to perform. In 1938, he received a military uniform as a gift from General Fu Zuoyi. On the way to Suiyuan in 1939, he was robbed and dispersed by bandits. In 1944, the "Military-Civilian Friendship Amateur Theater" was established with the local garrison to perform. In 1947, it was renamed "Poor Peasant Cultural Station" to promote land reform. In 1953, Li Fazi formed a "Doll Class" of more than 10 people, participated in the county performance, and won the first prize. The "Baby" actors in the troupe later became the key actors of the Hequ Duo Rentai Troupe.

Quyu, Louziying, Jiuxian, Pingquan, Nanyuan, Beiyuan, Wuhuacheng, Xunzhen and other amateur theater troupes also performed well.

In the autumn of 1953, nine comrades from the Central Institute of Ethnic Music came to Hequ for interviews and published the "Hequ Folk Song Interview Album". Since then, Hequ has been known as the "Ocean of Folk Songs" and the "Hometown of Ertai People". In August of the following year, the county's first duo and folk song performance was held, with more than 170 actors participating. The Provincial Song and Dance Troupe and the Provincial Radio and Television Department of Literature and Art sent dedicated personnel to observe and provide guidance. Since then, there has been a craze for duos in the county: there are more than 40 "couple classes", "sisters classes", "father and son classes" and "baby classes".

In the spring of 1955, the Hequ duo team participated in provincial and district folk art performances and returned with great honors.

(6) Professional Theater Troupe

In the autumn of 1956, the county government approved the establishment of the Hequ County Ertai Theater Troupe. First, he was stationed in the "Sanguan Temple" courtyard in Xunzhen Town, and then moved to Hehui Village. There are 27 cast and crew members, including 15 people from the original Daiyue Palace Troupe. From April to May 1957, 15 members of the troupe participated in regional, provincial and national folk art performances. In Beijing, he was received by Zhou Enlai and Zhu De and took a group photo with him. Friends of the Soviet Union presented him with the Order of Lenin. "Pearl Roll-Up Curtain" was rated as an excellent program.

Since then, in addition to traditional programs, more than 20 large and medium-sized programs such as "March 3", "Carpenter Welcomes the Marriage", "Taking Tiger Mountain by Wisdom", and "Honghu Red Guards" have also been transplanted. , the road becomes wider and wider as we go.

In March 1964, the Errentai Troupe was transformed into the Xinxian Regional Art Troupe, and the entire troupe was transferred to Xinxian.

During the ten years of the "Cultural Revolution", the two-person opera genre was criticized and disappeared from the stage, and many famous actors were forced to change careers.

From August 1976 to September 1978, the county party committee set up art schools attached to Chengguan Middle School and Quyu School, including two two-person Taiwanese classes. In 1977, the county theater troupe was established, with a first troupe and two teams, including more than 20 people in the two-person stage team. Traditional performances resumed in 1978. In 1980, the "Two Opera Troupe" was established independently, with more than 30 cast and crew members. It performed in Taiyuan, Jinzhong, Hohhot, Baotou and neighboring provinces and counties, and was very popular.

During the long-term formation and development process of duotai, batches of folk artists have emerged. In the Qing Dynasty, there were Li Yourun, Zhang Xingwang, and Li Zhancun, all members of the Tang Family Association; in the Republic of China and after liberation, there were Fan Guizuo ("Old Bai Ling Dan"), Fan Ercang ("Little Bai Ling Dan"), Fan Liu (member of the Chinese Drama Association), and Jian Er Mao ("Sesame Dan"), Ren Aiying (female, member of Chinese Drama Association), Xu Yueying (female, member of Chinese Drama Association and Music Association), Yin Zhancai (member of Chinese Drama Association), Zhang Meilan (female, member of Chinese Drama Association), Lu Guiying (female, director of Shanxi Drama Association), Jia Xiaotu (suona player), Li Youshi (Gong Laodan), Wu Mantun (flute player), Yang Yingyao (female), Miao Junying (female), Wang Zhangliang and others.