Pingyao Sanduo Opera Figures

Author: Feng Junjie, Wang Zhifeng
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-05-01
Features: The Sha Ge Xi Ren, also known as Sha Ge Ren or simply Sha Ge, is named after its original placement inside pavilions covered with green silk curtains. It is a traditional theatrical art that depicts dramatic figures using various crafts and techniques, placed inside wooden pavilions. Each pavilion represents a play, and each play is a scene, resembling a small stage for appreciation. It was popular in the Jinzhong region during the Ming and Qing dynasties. In the 32nd year of the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty (1906), the famous paper craft artist Xu Liteng (also known as Xu Laosan) and others of the Hexie Zhai paper craft shop in Pingyao City created 36 Sha Ge Xi Ren for the city tower in the center of the county. According to records, the labor cost for each pavilion was 2,000 Chinese coins. The pavilions are 70 cm tall, and the figures are about 50 cm high. They are exquisitely crafted, with lifelike expressions, realistic costumes, and intricate props that are both fascinating and amusing. During the Spring Festival and Lantern Festival, the Sha Ge Xi Ren were displayed on both sides of the passageway under the city tower for visitors to admire.
The crafting of Sha Ge Xi Ren is highly complex, using materials such as paper, clay, wood, straw, silk, leather, cotton, and hemp. It integrates various techniques, including sculpture, painting, paper folding, appliqué, gold leafing, and landscape building, to create different roles from traditional operas within each pavilion. The colors are entirely made from stone pigments, resulting in vibrant and long-lasting hues. Each pavilion features 3 to 4 figures, including sheng (male), black face (zhen), dan (female), and chou (clown), each with distinct facial makeup and personalities, meticulously crafted. The figures in the pavilions are both martial and literary, some sitting, some standing; some are singing aloud, while others are engaged in sword fights. Each pavilion is like a small stage, showcasing a vivid scene at that moment. The facial makeup, postures, gestures, expressions, and costumes are all diverse and lifelike.
Among the 36 Sha Ge Xi Ren crafted by Xu Liteng and others, 28 have been preserved in good condition to this day. These include: The Eight Virtues, Rowing the Dragon Boat, The Five Mountains, The, The Auspicious Deer Mirror, Borrowing an Umbrella, She Tang Pass, Trapped at Tong Pass, Beheading the Yellow Robe, The, Fei Hu Mountain, The Spring and Autumn Pen, The Jade Ring, The Romance of Sima Zhuang, The Bed of Bamboo Clamps, The Grand Entrance to the Palace, Battle of Luoyang, Rebellion of Tang Yi, The Iron Bed, Painted Spring Garden, Village of the Vicious Tiger, The Golden Platform Mirror, Xi Huang Zhuang, Yue Fei's Northern Expedition, The Fox's Fate, The Golden Horse Gate, Nanyang Pass, and Deng Family Fortress. In 1979, they were collected as cultural relics. To this day, each pavilion remains vivid and radiant, resembling a series of meticulous, brightly colored ink paintings, offering a feast for the eyes.
The Pingyao Sha Ge Xi Ren is a nationally unique artistic treasure and has become an invaluable material for studying China's traditional theater and folk art.