Guangxi Wenchang is called
Wenchang for short, and is prevalent in mandarin-speaking areas north of
Guilin in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, especially in Guilin, Liuzhou
and so on. Guangxi Wenchang is the representative form of Quyi in
this region, having reached here early in the Daoguang reign (1821-1851) of the
Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) from Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces.
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A scene from Wenchang Welcoming Guests by a City Full of
Golden Tassels |
Sung in the Guilin dialect and much
influenced by local folk songs and local drama, arias predominate in
Wenchang with dialogues playing a secondary role. Several people sit and
sing the traditional opera parts, such as the young man, young woman and clown.
The number of singers is determined by the number of characters or parts to be
sung. Each singer also plays an instrument, which may be a dulcimer, Pipa
(lute), Erhu (a two-stringed bowed instrument), flute, clappers or a
gong. The players may be dressed in theatrical costumes, in which case the
performance is called Wenchang Guayi, meaning "with costume." After the
1960s, Wenchang became to be staged in theaters. Another form of
Wenchang is called Zouchang, which involves singing while walking
or dancing.
The vocal music of Guangxi Wenchang
is divided into Dadiao and Xiaodiao (canzonet). The narratives of
the songs are based on historical romances or tales of the supernatural written
during the Ming (1644-1911) and Qing dynasties. The best known are The
Story of the Jade Pin, The Story of White Snake and The
Western Bower Descriptions of beautiful scenery in Guilin appeared in the
form of Guangxi Wenchang in recent years. Examples are Strolling in a
Picture, The Fairyland of Guilin and A Visit to the Seven Star
Cave at Night.