Chronicle of Chinese Dance. Jiangxi Volume

Author: / Country: Mainland China
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2001-12-01
Features: [Nanfeng Nuo Dance] "Nuo" is an ancient ritual to drive away ghosts and eliminate plagues, and the dances performed in this ritual are collectively referred to as "Nuo Dance." They are characterized by wearing wood-carved masks and holding props (especially various weapons) to portray legendary or historical figures. According to the "Record of Village Nuo" in the Qing Tongzhi edition of the Jinsha Yu Family Genealogy, the author Fu Dahuai introduces in the text: "I once studied the old editions of the county annals from the Song Dynasty, which recorded that General Wu Rui of the Han Dynasty, who was enfeoffed as the King of Junshan, often accompanied Chen Ping in suppressing bandits and at Junshan. He told the people of Feng, 'This place will not be free from warfare in a few decades, as the Jun Peak stands tall, and the evil aura is concentrated here. All the villagers in this mountainous area must follow the system of the Duke of Zhou and pass down the Nuo ritual to dispel the evil spirits.'" Wu Rui was from Yugan, Jiangxi. When Xiang Yu enfeoffed the vassal kings, he was enfeoffed as the King of Hengshan. After the establishment of the Western Han Dynasty, Emperor Gaozu of Han, Liu Bang, changed his enfeoffment to the King of Changsha. The records of the Ming Zhengde edition of the Jianchang Prefecture Annals and the Qing Qianlong edition of the Nanfeng County Annals in the chapters on "Rites" and "Military Affairs" all mention that Wu Rui led troops to garrison at Junshan in Nanfeng. The "Record of Stone Chamber" further states that Wu Rui, while stationed at Junshan, once sent his general Mei Zhu to set up an altar on the mountain and "shout loudly with gongs and drums to overcome the evil." Therefore, the Nuo Dance "has more Nuo performances in the western area than in other places, dating back to the Han Dynasty." Wu Rui died in the fifth year of Emperor Gaozu of Han (202 BC), and his time of garrisoning at Junshan should have been between the first and fifth years of Emperor Gaozu of Han (206–202 BC). This shows that as early as 2,200 years ago, Wu Rui held Nuo performances to drive away evil spirits and eliminate plagues at Junshan in Nanfeng and performed Nuo for the villagers. When did the Nanfeng folk start performing Nuo? The "Record of Village Nuo" states: "The Yu family has passed down the Nuo deity for generations. Every spring and autumn, the old and young gather to play, and its origins are very old. I asked them why, and they said, 'This tradition dates back to our ancestors Yao Gong, who was the governor of Hengzhou Prefecture in the Tang Dynasty and moved from Sichuan's Emei Mountain. He obtained the teachings of the Divine Lord of the Clear Origin and Miraculous Way and has practiced them for generations without change.'" Ganfang Village, twelve li away from Jinsha, acknowledges that its Nuo was passed down from Jinsha and preserves a hand-copied Nuo ritual and colorful terms for inviting and sacrificing Nuo, which includes a list of the (masters) of the Nuo deity association over the generations, totaling twenty-four people. The first three masters were surnamed Zou, and the next twenty-one were surnamed Gan. According to the village's genealogy, the Gan surname moved from the Jinma Lane in the county seat to this place in the first year of Emperor Taizu of Song (963). Before moving in, the place was called Zoufang. Therefore, the Nuo in this village should have originated as early as the late Tang Dynasty during the reigns of Emperor Yizong and Emperor Xizong (859–888). The "Jiangxi Poetry Collection" Volume 24 includes a poem titled "Watching Nuo," written by Liu Tang, a native of Nanfeng, born in the twelfth year of the Jiading period of the Ningzong reign of the Song Dynasty (1219) and whose death year is unknown. His nephew Liu Xun (1240–1319) is mentioned in the Ming Zhengde edition of the Jianchang Prefecture Annals and the "Great Dictionary of Chinese Literary Figures" in the article "The Hidden Residences of the Imperial Academy's Lingxing Gate" as having been eighty-seven years old and still healthy, living in seclusion. This shows that Liu Tang was a learned and talented recluse. This poem "Watching Nuo" has twenty-four lines:
Cold clouds hang low, the sky is overcast with darkness,
Red curtains deep in the hall, candlelight flickers.
Drumbeats deep, flute sounds crisp,
Ghosts and gods transform in a dramatic play.
Golden streams and jade drips, the sound begins to flow,
Suddenly, it's no longer the human world before my eyes.
The devil with a messy head and iron-blossomed bones,
Red-faced and blue-skinned, eyes blazing with fire.
Ghosts and demons in masks, like initial actors,
Kneeling sheep and standing pigs, groaning together.
Red-skirted girls hiding behind fans,
Green-sash bearded old men holding rush swords.
Twisting muscles, kicking with wide arms,
Opening their mouths, spitting out dry lips.
Shaking their heads, looking around, jumping a hundred times,
Bending their bodies, in thousands of postures, searching for wine.
A scholar in green robes, suddenly hiding,
Colorful clouds lift the tent, flags flutter.
Purple clouds and golden tablets alone on the table,
Horsehairs and ox horns draped over the judges.
Fate and misfortune are not determined by heaven,
Wisdom and folly are distinguished by their actions.
Thorns show their might, and the little ghosts obey,
Roaring, the big devil cries.
A white-faced messenger with a bamboo spear,
Proudly searching without leaving anything behind.
Ox crowns and bamboo reeds, inspecting and reviewing,
Tiger armor and shoulder drums, shining with light.
Five directions gather in teams, chaotic and mixed,
What old woman is wrapped in a bundle, still smoky?
A scholar from Zhongnan breaks the doubts,
Drunk and unaware of the ghosts watching.
Flaring mustaches, wide-eyed, dancing,
How to subdue the evils?
With disheveled hair, flying a spell,
Winds clouds, drums fade.
Late at night, the four seats are filled with sorrow,
The host sends guests, and the guests are all sad.
Returning home, sitting in deep silence,
Green cranes and yellow foxes are still in sight.
Singing the songs of Chu, big and small,
Sitting for a long time, souls drift freely.
Yu the Great is not dead in the mountains of Kuaiji,
Casting bronze drums and stopping the earth are like this.
I also hear that ghosts deceive by using people,
People deceive by using ghosts, and ghosts deceive the gods.
Tomorrow, the hats and robes are neatly dressed,
During the day, the faces of the people in the city are the same.
This poem shows that as early as seven hundred years ago in the Southern Song Dynasty, Liu Tang had already watched Nuo performances in his hometown of Nanfeng. At that time, the Nuo Dance not only featured various characters (devils, sheep-faced ghosts, pig-faced ghosts, red-skirted girls, green-sash bearded old men, Yama, ox-faced and horse-faced judges, little ghosts, old women, Zhongnan scholars—the Zhongkui—), but also included singing and dialogue ("Fate and misfortune are not determined by heaven," "Proudly searching without leaving anything behind," "Kneeling sheep and standing pigs, groaning together," "Roaring, the big devil cries"), accompanied by music primarily featuring drums and flutes ("Drumbeats deep, flute sounds crisp," "Winds clouds, drums fade"). It was a very complete Nuo play, indicating that the performance of Nanfeng Nuo Dance had already reached a considerable scale.
Due to the differences in the history of passing down Nuo, the content of the programs, the style of performance, and the purpose of performing Nuo, each area has formed its own characteristics. However, as a whole, they can be broadly divided into two major categories: (1) Old Nuo and (2) New Nuo.
(1) Old Nuo
Old Nuo, also known as Literary Nuo, generally has a long history, and the programs performed are mostly based on myths and legends. The performance style is simple and rough, with a solemn and respectful atmosphere. The original purpose of performing Nuo was to entertain the gods, although it has gradually shifted to entertaining people over a long period of historical evolution, it still retains the historical traces of driving away plagues and ghosts. The following are some representative Nuo troupes:
1. Shiyao Nuo
Shiyao Nuo was established in the Xuan period of the Ming Dynasty (1426–1435) and has been performed for over 500 years since its inception. The Nuo troupe has always consisted of eight people and thirteen masks, performing eight programs in order:
- Opening Mountain — Solo dance. Reflecting the story of the creation of the world in mythology, where the universe was initially chaotic, and Pan Gu separated the heavens and the earth. The performer wears a red headband, a long wooden mask of the Open Mountain God, light yellow casual clothes, yellow sleeve covers, red casual pants, colorful waistbands, red belts, black casual shoes, and knee pads. Holding an axe in the right hand and forming a "Incense and Fire Seal" with the left, the dance movements are round and rhythmic, rough and strong. The performer chops and cuts, blocks and dodges, jumps and advances, exuding immense power, ultimately opening the heavens and clarifying the universe. The entire dance embodies the fearless and pioneering spirit of Pan Gu in ancient Chinese mythology. The Jiangxi Song and Dance Troupe's choreographer Zhang Ruiting created a male solo dance titled Opening Heaven and Earth based on the Nuo dance material and the meaning of opening the world, incorporating difficult techniques. It won the first prize for creative choreography in the East China Six Provinces and One City Dance Competition in 1982, and the performer Shen Ying won the first prize for performance.
- Paper Money — The only traditional solo dance unique to Shiyao Village. There are two legends about the role in Paper Money. One says the role refers to Yin Zhao, the crown prince of Yin Zhou Wang; the other suggests that based on the dance using red ropes and yellow paper as props and its traditional order following Opening Mountain, the role represents Nuwa, who "pulled ropes and kneaded mud to make people" after creating the world (quoted from the Taiping Imperial Collection). The dance style is somewhat archaic and strong, giving a mysterious and cunning feeling of ghosts. The arm movements should have an inherent tension. For example, in the "Push and Bounce" movement, the lower arm pushes out and then (straightened and bent at the elbow), and in the "Incense and Fire Seal," the middle and ring fingers extend and then, while the tension also creates a rebound force, allowing the pushed arm and extended fingers to return quickly to their original positions. The performer wears a paper money god mask, with clothing similar to the Open Mountain God, except that the sleeve covers are black.
- Thunder God — A traditional solo dance, depicting the Thunder God riding the universe, farming clouds and raining, and blessing the people. The performer wears a black face mask with a phoenix beak, holding a chisel and hammer. In the resounding gongs and drums, they sway their heads and arms, and shake their hands. The dance atmosphere is exhilarating, the rhythm is brisk, the movements are strong, and they are full of masculine beauty, giving the audience the feeling of lightning and thunder, and infinite divine power.
- Nuo Gong and Nuo Po — A duet. Nanfeng has a saying: "An eighty-year-old man has a son, raise a son in Changsha, if the old man has a son himself, it will make the millions of households in Changsha laugh." The dance reflects the strong desire of the working people for a happy and auspicious life, portraying the joy of an elderly couple in their later years of having a child and entertaining it, filled with family love. The movements are simple, delicate, and humorous. Nuo Gong wears a long gown, while Nuo Po wears white and red casual clothes, red casual pants, and a red belt. The corners of both masks are slanted upwards, as if smiling.
- Zhongkui Drunk — The Zhongkui with a black face and long beard mask holds a wine, drinking wildly, getting drunk and falling asleep. The two little ghosts sometimes steal his sword and dance, or steal his wine and drink. It portrays the unrestrained nature of Zhongkui and the cleverness of the little ghosts. It participated in the National Second Folk Music and Dance Competition in 1953.
- Jumping Stool — The characters are the same as in Zhongkui Drunk, depicting the scene after Zhongkui wakes up, dancing with swords and drinking and guessing with the little ghosts.
- Double Bo Lang — A duet, the only program preserved by the Shiyao Nuo troupe. The Nanfeng dialect "Double Bo Lang" means two brothers, but their real names are unknown. The legend says they are Nezha and Yang Jian, or Li Bing and his son, disguised as they sacrificed their weapons before going into the water to slay dragons. The dance portrays the scene of the two generals, at the beginning of their battle, sacrificing their weapons and praying to the gods for protection to win the battle.
- Guangong — The character wears a red face and black beard mask. It is said to portray Guan Yu sharpening his sword, or Huang Feihu, or Wu Rui, a Han general who named Junfeng Mountain, depicting his demeanor of sharpening his sword and performing a sacrifice when he was stationed at Junfeng. The accompanying instruments are a single-sided drum covered with hide in the shape of a scoop and a low-tone with a diameter of about two feet, both struck with curved bamboo strips, exactly the same as the accompanying instruments mentioned in the Music Bureau's Extinguishing of Nuo ("One drum and one gong").
[Wanzai Nuo Dance] Wanzai County is located in the northwest of Jiangxi, north of Wugong Mountain and southwest of Jiuling Mountain, bordering Liuyang County in Hunan. According to the Qing Daoguang edition of the Wanzai County Annals (1826, the sixth revision), "In the twenty-sixth year of Qin Shi Huang (221 BC), the world was divided into twenty-six prefectures, and Wanzai belonged to the Jiujiang Prefecture," and "from 184 to 189 AD, Wanzai belonged to Shangcai County," "During the Huangwu period of Sun Wu of the Eastern Wu in the Three Kingdoms (222–228), Wanzai was separated from Shangcai to establish Yangle County, and in the first year of the Taikang period of the Western Jin (280), Yangle County was renamed Kangle County." To this day, the county has a history of over 1,700 years. In 1982, a bronze yongzhong was unearthed in Zhutan Town of the county. Experts that it is a musical instrument from the Western Zhou period. According to the understanding that music and dance have the same origin, Wanzai had musical and dance activities as early as 2,000 years ago. According to the 1826 edition of the Wanzai County Annals, Volume 2, Chapter 3: "The city's temple fair performances last for ten days in the New Year, and on the eighteenth day of the fourth month, the deity's birthday, there is more than a month of preparation, with opera troupes gathering, and the people and scholars fulfill their wishes every day." "As for following the monthly calendar, New Year's greetings, Lantern Festival lanterns, Flower Festival outings, Dragon Boat Festival races, the Dragon Lantern Festival in July, and the August grain seed play." According to Long Chengsheng, the creator of the Fan Lantern (1904–1990), "In the past, welcoming gods and holding temple fairs, with pipa, flute, drums, and gongs, singing and dancing all night." This shows that for hundreds of years, Wanzai's lantern festivals and singing and dancing have been very popular. In 1984, during a survey of folk dances, valuable remnants of ancient witchcraft and Nuo were discovered and named "Wanzai Nuo Dance" and included in the National Folk and Ethnic Dance Collection · Jiangxi Volume.