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History of XiangSheng

Though similar performance had been popular for centuries, it was only in the reign of Emperor Xianfeng of the Qing Dynasty (1851 -1861 ) that XiangSheng became established as an independent art form. The first XiangShap artists were Zhang Sanlu and Zhu Shaowen, the latter's stage name being Qiong Bupa. He used to perform in the entertainment quarter of Beijing known as Tianqiao. He always began with a ragged verse which started and ended with the same word (something like a palindrome phrase). Then he imitated the street hawkers' peculiar cries and sang some ancient songs. As the audience grew, he started his proper xiangsheng item. His stage name originated from a poem inscribed on a pair of bamboo clappers (a kind of percussion instrument), which he had used- The words on the clapper were, "Eating by begging from many houses and sleeping in ancient temples. Never do anything against the law, and don't be afraid of seeing the emperor." Zhu's four apprentices all had stage names in a similar style. Zhu and his two contemporaries, A Yantao and Shen Chunhe formed the earliest three big categories of Xiangsheng artists who passed on their skills to their disciples. After over a century's development, xiang art has ushered in its eighth generation of artists.

Since the late Qing Dynasty and the early years of the Republic, xiangsheng art has made great advances in content and skills, and representative artists have emerged in different periods. For instance, in the late Qing period a group of artists whose names all contained the character "de', were Yu Delong, jiao Dehai, Zhou Deshan, and others. People called them the Eight "Des" of xiangsheng There were Li Dexi with the stage name of Wan Renmi and Zhang Shouchg art, in the period of the Republic. After the founding of New China talented artists Hou Baolin, Ma Sanli, Ma ji, who was Hou's student, and Maji's student jiang Kun all displayed highly distinctive skills and have become very famous artists.

There are three forms of xiangsheng The earliest form was performed by one person, and was called dankou xiangsheng its contents were mostly jokes and humorous stories. Later, dchu xiangshengor "cross talk," performed by two persons, appeared. One man was called duogen, and the other, pengn. When A is the primary talker while the B side chimes in, this is called yitouchen(heavy-at-one-end), and the Subject of argument between them is called Zhaugen. Recitals and narration are called guankouhuo, and imitations of opera songs and words are called huhuo. The third form of xiangsheng performed by three or more persons is called qunkou Xiangsheng it calls for one artist to say funny things, while others chime in and yet another makes them stray from the subject. Of the three forms, cross talk was the most popular and widespread.

A xiangsheng performer is required to have not only a clear enunciation, but to be skillful at imitating various kinds of people and things with sound effects, and especially good at creating laughter or doubaofu. At the same time, he must have a good voice and be able to learn opera melodies and popular songs. Naturally, every artist has his own style. The basic aim of the Xiangsheng performance is to make the audience laugh. The punchline is called baoluer, meaning that it contains a theme which will abruptly emerge after several foreshadowing. There fore, the performer should be able to make a feint to the east and attack to the west, make present concessions for the sake of future gains, and utilize deliberate misunderstanding and coincidence, puns and rhetorical skills. Satire is nearly always present in xiangsheng performances. Xiangsheng is known all over China, and is often performed in local languages and dialects, Such as the "dialect xiangsheng" in Tibet.

Master Performers Hou Baolin and Ma Sanli

In the historical development of XiangSheng art, Hou Baolin (1917-1993) was the most renowned practitioner.

A native of Beijing, Hou was born into a poor family. He began to learn Peking Opera at the age of 12, but later switched to XiangSheng which he learned from Zhu Kuoquan. He performed at Gulou and Tianqiao in Beijing for a time. In l94o, he went to Tianjin, where he made a name for himself. From 194o he performed for 2o years with Guo Qiru as his partner. Hou Baolin lived in a turbulent period of Chinese history. After the founding of New China, the social status of folk artists rose considerably. Hou joined the Quyi Art Troupe of the Chinese Broadcasting Recitation and Ballad Troupe and enthusiastically plunged into the movement of reforming Xiangsheng by discarding the dross and selecting the essential, so that the contents became more wholesome.

Hou's contributions to the art of xiangsheng were numerous. First, he took the lead in purifying the language in the scripts by getting rid of vulgarities. He re-edited a lot of traditional scripts and then performed them on the stage. Second, he stressed theoretical research into xiangsheng while creating and performing. He made friends with scholars, and co-authored on the origin of xiangsheng A Collection of Articles on the Art of xiangsheng and other works. Third, he wrote some 30 scripts, of which the most representative are Marriage and Superstittan, A Miraculous Skill Brings Destruction, Lord Guan Fights Qin Qiong Story of a Night journey Opera and Dialect, Changing one's trade, The Drunkard and The opera Fan.

Hou's xiangsheng art is full of wisdom and humor He unearths and refines materials from everyday life. Hou is noted for being able to sing passages from local operas of various places and imitating their dialects. In three of his representative works, Notes on operas, opera and Dialect and Changing one's Trade, one can clearly see his talent in this aspect. This, coupled with his fresh and precise language and easy manner on the stage forms the Hou School' Ma Sanli was born in Beijing in 1914, and was a contemporary of Hou Baolin. He comes from a well-known family of quyi artists of the Hui ethnic group. He grew up in Tianjin, and got his schooling there. At the age of 15, he started to study xiangsheng under Zhou Deshan, and has performed with Geng Baolin, Hou Nchen and Zhang Qingsen. He excels at wengen literary jokes and guankou recitals and narratives. His most famous pieces are The Writers' Salon, Moonlight over the xiang River on Steamed Corm Bread and Tongue Twister After the founding of New China, Ma joined the tianjin Quyi Troupe, and performed both cross-talk comic dialogue and solo comic dialogue, of which some of the most famous are Eating Sweet dumplings and The yellow crane Tower. Buying Monkeys, written by famous XiangSheng writer He Chi, has become a XiangSheng classic because of Ma's distinguished performance. in it he vividly portrays a typically careless person, "Ma Daha". When his boss sends him to buy ten boxes of Monkey-brand soap, he returns with ten monkeys. Now, the name "Ma Daha" has become a synonym in Chinese for those who do their work carelessly.

Ma Sanli's solo Xiangsheng performances are unique in that they always have a social message. Ma Sanli's performances are full of the feelings of ordinary people. In both cross-talk comic dialogue and solo comic dialogue his performing style is to use mild but popular language. Although he belongs to a style of cool-headed humor, actually he is full of warm heartedness. So he enjoys the reputation of being an "artist of the ordinary people".

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Comic Dialogue FAQ & Travelers's Tips

1. What are some original forms of art that are unique to China?
2. China has its own operas? What are they?
3. Why are there so many Dragons on Chinese arts?
4. What's the popular arts among Chinese people?
5. Where are the best places to go to experience authentic Chinese art?
6. What's Chinese art usually about?
7. Why so much make-up on Chinese performers' faces?
8. What is the best form that can express Chinese arts?
9. What should I notice when I go to appreciate Chinese arts?
10. Where can I buy souvenirs about Chinese arts?

1. What are some original forms of art that are unique to China?

   China is a country with a long long history. During its development, all kinds of arts were created by the diligent Chinese people. Although nowadays, there are other countries that try to imitate Chinese art, the roots are still in China, and the best Chinese art works in the world can only be found in China.

   • Papercut Technique and form of cutting and pricking pictures and designs in paper by hand. The tools employed in papercutting were simply a pair of sharp scissors, razor-edged, quill-shaped knives or penknives with a hone and oil for sharpening, and good-quality paper. For pin-pricking, steel needles of different sizes were fixed to short wooden handles or mounted on a roulette wheel. The paper was worked from the back as well as the front for various effects. Handcut and pricked papers were largely outmoded by machine production in the mid-19th century.

   • Chinese Opera Chinese Opera is a popular form of drama and musical theatre in China. There are numerous regional branches of opera with its original root starting in the dynastic periods. The Beijing opera is one of the most famous Chinese Opera. As early as the Three Kingdoms period, Canjun opera was one of the first form of opera available. Though in general, the more organized form of Chinese opera began in the Tang Dynasty with Emperor Xuanzong (712C755), who founded the "Pear Garden", the first known opera troupe in China. The troupe mostly performed for the emperors' personal pleasure. To this day operatic professionals are still referred to as "Disciples of the Pear Garden". In the Yuan Dynasty (1279C1368), forms like the Zaju, which acts based on rhyming schemes plus the innovation of having specialized roles like "Dan", "Sheng", "Hua" and "Chou" were introduced into the opera. Although actors in theatrical performances of the Song Dynasty (960C1279) strictly adhered to speaking in Classical Chinese onstage, it was during the Yuan Dynasty that actors speaking in the vernacular tongue gained precedent on stage.

     The dominant form of the Ming and early Qing dynasties was Kunqu, which came from the Wu cultural area. It later evolved into a longer form of play called chuanqi, which became one of the 5 melody that made up Sichuan opera. Chinese operas continue to exist in 368 different forms now, the best known of which is Beijing opera, which assumed its present form in the mid-19th century and was extremely popular in the Qing Dynasty (1644C1911).

   • Chinese Painting is one of the oldest continuous artistic traditions in the world. Earliest paintings were ornamental, not representational; they consisted of pattern or designs, not pictures. Stone Age pottery was painted with spiral, zigzags, dots, or animals. It was only during the Warring States Period (403-221 B.C.) that artists began to represent the world around them.

     Painting in the traditional style is today known in Chinese as guo hua meaning 'national' or 'native painting', in opposition to Western styles of art which became popular in China in the 20th century. Traditional painting involves essentially the same techniques as calligraphy and is done with a brush dipped in black or colored ink; oils are not used. As with calligraphy, the most popular materials on which paintings are made of paper and silk. The finished work is then mounted on scrolls, which can be hung or rolled up. Traditional painting also is done in albums and on walls, lacquerwork, and other media.

     Chinese Variety Art It is the name giving to the collection of performances that include a wide range of acrobatic, balancing acts and other spectacles performed by a troupe fashioned in traditional Chinese-style attire. The art originated in China and is still performed today.




2. China has its own operas? What are they?

   There are about 30 kinds of Chinese operas: 4 in the North, 13 in the South and another 13 that belongs to other areas here and there. The most famous operas in China are Beijing opera, Qinqiang opera, Kunqu opera, Pingju opera, etc.




3. Why are there so many Dragons on Chinese arts?

   Dragons are commonly symbols of good luck/health in some parts of Asia, and are also sometimes worshipped. Asian dragons are considered as mythical rulers of weather, specifically rain and water, and are usually depicted as the guardians of flaming pearls.

   In China, as well as in Japan and Korea, the Azure Dragon is one of the Four Symbols of the Chinese constellation, representing spring (season), the element of Wood and the east. A Yellow dragon with five claws on each foot, on the other hand, symbolize imperial authority in China, and indirectly the Chinese people as well. Chinese people often use the term "Descendants of the Dragon" as a sign of ethnic identity.




4. What's the popular arts among Chinese people?

   Due to the long history, some Chinese arts were descended yet some didn't get the chance to live long. Ancient Chinese arts that are still popular today, we'd say, it's the papercut and Chinese opera.

   Papercut is playing an important part in festivals, especially the Spring festival. People use papercuts as decorations in the room in order to add more festival atmosphere to the house. Papercut is also collected by many Chinese pepercut lovers who would spend a good among of money on those papercuts. The patterns that are usually used in papercut are now used in many place: patterns on appliance, patterns on buildings, etc.

   During Spring festival, there is always an evening show that's only about Chinese opera, indicating the importance of Chinese opera today. There are schools that teach kid to learn how to perform Chinese opera, and some people live their live on performing Chinese operas.




5. Where are the best places to go to experience authentic Chinese art?

   Chinese art actually has been soaked into people's common lives. All kinds of forms of art can be seen along the streets, on the bus, in the subway, anytime, anywhere. But there are indeed some best places for you to appreciate the best Chinese art.

   • The Gallery of China The Gallery of China started in the 1970's it wasn't until 1996 that the gallery proper was formed. It's located in the city center area. It has many functions such as exhibition, collection, research, public education and international communication. From time to time, interesting art exhibition takes place in the Gallery of China. Just a few months ago, the Dunhuang art show was held inside the gallery. Thousands of visitors came to see the exhibition. All kinds of Dunhuang wall paintings brought visitors to the real Dunhuang
   
   
   • National Theater for the Performing Arts The National Centre for the Performing Arts is a dynamic new icon to the arts in the heart of old Beijing. The Centre's ultra-modern architecture is in sharp contrast to its neighbours, the Great Hall of the People, Tian'anmen Square and the ancient Forbidden City.The National Centre for the Performing Arts is far more than a spectacular and futuristic building.




6. What's Chinese art usually about?

   Chinese arts usually all have auspicious meanings. Take papercut for example, papercuts usually are vivid pictures of Chinese phrases with good and optimistic meaning. That's why people like to put up papercuts on the windows or walls to bring auspicious atmosphere to the house.

   Chinese arts are usually about common people's life. A very precious piece of art might be just about an old man in the street where nobody known about him, or about a general life style that everyone shares.




7. Why so much make-up on Chinese performers' faces?

   As you have noticed, there is much make up on performers' faces when they are performing Chinese operas. Why? That's because the themes of the shows they play are usually about ancient Chinese stories. And different colors of make-up symbolize different historical characters. For example, Caocao, one of the central figures during the Three Kingdoms Period, was a cunning character, so the role of him needs white facial make-up to express the duplicity of him. Guanyu, was a general under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of China. He was a nice person and made a lot of contribution to him country, therefore, the role of Guanyu needs the color red to show his courage, strength and loyalty.




8. What is the best form that can express Chinese arts?

   All kinds of forms express Chinese arts well. Yet, there is a unique form of Chinese arts that no other country has, which is Chinese Calligraphy. For thousands of years of development, Chinese calligraphy has now many forms. Some look decent with delicate handwriting, while some look messy but express the open character of the writers. Brush pen, the unique tool for Chinese traditional writings, also has various kinds. Some are thin while some are thick, which show different styles of calligraphy.




9. What should I notice when I go to appreciate Chinese arts?

   If you go to a gallery, please do not take photos of the art works. Flash lights is very bad for the preservation of the works. Sometimes, drinks are not allowed inside a gallery, so please make sure you have enough liquid in you before entering the gallery.

   If you go to see a show, please keep quiet during the show. Do not applaud until the end of performances. There are also some special requirements: for instance, if you want to see the Tang dynasty dance and music show, we suggest that you dress as you would for any formal occasion, like the Opera in Beijing, and the welcome and farewell dinners during the Yangtze Cruise. Jackets and ties for gentlemen and a formal dress or gown for ladies are recommended.




10. Where can I buy souvenirs about Chinese arts?

    If you want to buy some souvenirs for you friends, please tell your guides, they will do their best to fulfill your requirements. Your guides will introduce you some large painting shops with the high quality. You can have a pleasant and rewarding shopping experience.

    Also, there are usually souvenirs inside the gallery of theater where you can buy gifts for friends and family, but the price might be a little bit high.