Storytelling in northern Shaanxi has a history of more than a thousand years from its birth, formation and development. It can be said that it has a long history. After more than a thousand years of development, it has formed the following basic characteristics:

1. Single-person singing of storytelling music in northern Shaanxi can be performed in fields, fields, courtyards, and kangtangs. Therefore, it shows the characteristics of flexibility and maneuverability;

2. The mode of storytelling music in northern Shaanxi is not the same as the traditional style. Some music is so complex and gorgeous, but shows a special beauty of simplicity and simplicity, which constitutes the simplicity of its modes and styles;

3. The storytelling language of northern Shaanxi is refined, and the rapping is witty, forming The writing is interesting and exciting;

4. It not only includes the various modes, repertoire and other local music of Northern Shaanxi storytelling, but also widely absorbs folk songs, drama tunes and other sister art music, so it has the characteristics of repertoire formation Diverse characteristics;

5. Northern Shaanxi storytelling uses onomatopoeic morphology, emotional description and other techniques to describe objective people and things in production and life, so it has the simulated characteristics of performing arts;

6. Storytelling in northern Shaanxi is popular and localized in language, rich in flavor, easy to understand, easy to spread, and popular with the masses;

7. Traditional books are often accompanied by ethnic activities , which are referred to as "return books", "celebration books", "temple fair books", "sacred books for children", etc., thus forming a characteristic of dependence on folk customs. Yulin Xiaoqu is a unique variety of folk music in northern Shaanxi. Its characteristics are as follows:

1. It was introduced to northern Shaanxi from the south and combined with northern Shaanxi folk music. It is the product of the exchange and integration of folk music culture between the north and the south. .

2. The music style of the ditty is both euphemistic and touching, yet high-pitched and passionate, with southern rhymes and northern tones integrated into one.

3. Use a small voice to sing, blend the true and false voices, and use frequent pauses to form a unique singing method, producing a lively and lively singing effect.

4. The instrumental accompaniment is mainly plucked music, supplemented by stringed instruments such as jinghu and erhu, highlighting the lively and lively performance effect.

5. The repertoire is rich and the routines are complete, forming their own vocal system.

6. Xiaoqu is a unique citizen-level art in northern Shaanxi. It is both elegant and popular. It is not only for self-entertainment, but also closely related to folk activities (weddings and funerals, festivals, birthdays) , is a concentrated expression of the folk customs of Yulin city. 1. Content characteristics of traditional scripts:

①Discuss philosophical issues such as heaven and earth, men and women.

②The characters in the play mostly come from religious classics, Buddhism and Taoism more than Confucianism.

③The script framework is original, and most of the details were modified by folk artists based on their own experiences.

2. Take moral education as the main content.

3. Language characteristics: few literati elegances and many folk sayings.

4. Performance style: There are many elements of joking.

5. There are more bitter tunes than happy tunes in music. Meihu music consists of three parts: singing, gongs and drums, and music. The singing style is a combination of qupai and more than 200 tunes, divided into two categories: Yuexian (major key) and Pingxian (minor key). Yuexian is ancient, with complex structure, changeable melody, wide range, euphemistic drawl, and difficulty in singing. The three strings are designated as "1-5-1". The main tunes are [Yue Diao] [Bei Gong] [Man Jiang Hong] [Mixed] Jianglong][Border Pass][Parasite Grass][Old Dragon Crying into the Sea][Feng Luoxiao][Hepatochoresis][Crying Love][Luo Jiang Yuan][Money][Huanglong Gun][Pipa][Blowing Tune][Five More][Big Ten Films][Cross Slow][Great Wall][Xijing] etc. Pingxian are mostly folk songs with short structure, smooth melody, little change, and narrow range. The three strings are designated "5-6-3". The tunes include [Flying a Kite] [Ten Pairs of Flowers] [Ten Lamps] [Ten Cup of wine] [Twelve flowers] [Pick flowers] [Cut window grilles] [Camellia] [A little oil] [Play jujube pole] [Naozi tune] [Crab tune] [Nail cylinder] [Overlord whip] [Sanliuzi tune] [ Grocery tone][Screen window][Little peach red][Taipingnian][Silver button wire][Wuli Dun][Wuluanxiang][Embroidered purse][Boat flower] etc.

In addition, there are some singing tunes that are dramatic and constantly changing, such as [Mansu], [Gang Tiao], [Luo Zi], etc., and free-paced, chanting Sanban or similar Sanban singing, such as [Gunbai] [Tao Qing] [Jian Ban], and [Dai Ban] [Singing Stage] similar to Qin Opera's tight and loose singing. Meihu's singing can be divided into happy and bitter sounds, such as Huanyin [hard Yue tune], bitter sound [soft Yue tune], fast and slow, such as [Jin Xijing] [Slow Xijing], and Zhengyin. Anti, big and small, such as [money] [anti-money] [desolate] [little desolate], etc. Some tunes are divided into front and back, old and new, beginning and end, and the singing styles are rich and colorful.

Before the 1950s, Meihu was all sung by male actors. When playing the male role, they sang in their own voices, and when playing the female role, they used a combination of real and false voices. Its vocal range is wide, generally f-f2 for male actors and a-a2 for female actors. The Meihu scale has rich modes, and the same tune also has different modes. The scale of Huanyin in the seven-tone Zheng mode is 567123↑45, and the scale of the bitter tone is 56↓712345; the scale of Huanyin in the five-tone Zheng mode is 561235. There are very few Shang mode and Feather mode. There is a tune at the end of the suite or a separate singing tune. Most are Gong mode, with a scale of 123↑45↓71; followed by Zheng mode, Yu and Shang modes. The pitch and mobility of ↑4 and ↓7 in the scale are basically the same as those of Qin Opera.

Meihu’s sitting singing band consists of six people, including Sanxian, Banhu (one front and back), flute, water (fourth tone) and four-page tile. Additions and changes to musical instruments can be found in the previous products and works and other related instruments section.

Meihu only has string tunes, but no suona tunes. The string tunes are divided into pure instrumental music, including [Guye Diao] [Baban] [Yagyu Shengya] [Sacrifice to Spirits] [Kill Daji] [Phoenix Three Nods] [Four Feet Diao] [Shamao Wings] [Cut Leeks], etc. 20 The rest of the songs are arias that have been transformed into instrumental music, including more than 10 songs such as "Xijing Brand", "Big Money", and "Silver Knots"; there are also big transitions in the middle of the arias. The first two are mainly used for performing actions such as raising tents, setting up banquets, ceremonies, welcoming guests, etc., and for dialogues with choruses. The latter is mostly used in the prelude to enhance the atmosphere and coordinate with the performance. (The above content can be found on pages 310-311 of "Shaanxi Culture and Art Chronicle") Hancheng Yangko has a unique performance form, which can be said to be unique and unique.

First, there is a fixed performance program. Judging from the performance form, the characteristics of Hancheng Yangko are very obvious. People in northern Shaanxi call it "twisting Yangko", people in Chang'an call it "dancing Yangko", and people in Hancheng call it "singing Yangko", which just shows that Hancheng Yangko is based on singing. Mainly, the artistic characteristics of speaking, expressing and dancing embody the prototype of opera and its development trend. Hancheng Yangko is mostly performed with two or three people, and there are also four-person performances, but most of them are performed with two people, so it is known as "Dual Duo Opera" and "Yangko Opera". The roles generally refer to clowns as "ugliest" and female actors as "Baotou". There are also roles that are distinguished by men and women, and there are also roles that are determined by name in modern dramas. Hancheng Yangko generally follows the procedure of opening - main drama - exit. The opening part has several levels. First, the clown goes on stage to "pay his respects", that is, he sings a "four or six songs" to show his modesty; after the "paying homage", there is the show, that is, the clown tells a show joke, either a traditional joke or an improvisation. ; The expression comes down to "please come", that is, the clown invites Baotou to come on the stage, and Baotou sings "Open the Door Tune" to make his appearance; the expression comes down to "counting flowers", that is, the clown makes an appearance and praises or criticizes Baotou; the numbering of flowers comes down to "push and receive" , that is, the Harlequin sings "Four-Six Songs" to express resignation, and Baotou sings "Four-Six Opening Songs" to express acceptance. At this point, the opening part ends. The main song is the core part of a Yangko performance. Usually the clowns and Baotou perform a simple plot in the form of a suite of songs. The exit is the end of a Yangko performance, with Baotou and the Harlequin singing "Four-Six Songs" to show their modesty. For example, "One fan has seven pieces of firewood, and the kite turns over and rolls down. The two of us are not good at tying firewood. Please invite experts in the back." This group of artists leaves the stage and the next group of artists comes on stage. The Baotou of Hancheng Yangge is characterized by coquettishness, cleverness, prettyness and charm, with charming and graceful movements; the clown is known for its strength and bravery, stomping its feet and legs, and has a graceful gait. The two have a strong contrast between hardness and softness. Their dance patterns are rich in changes, clear in level, passionate but not chaotic, delicate but not peaceful.

Secondly, the singing music has rich melodies. There are more than one hundred kinds of Hancheng Yangge tunes that are beautiful, full of variety and diverse in style.

Among them, there are not only rap narratives, but also single music in the form of folk songs, as well as the musical structure of dramatized tunes and combinations. Hancheng Yangko not only emphasizes singing but also emphasizes "expression". This expression factor also penetrates into the tune, forming the characteristics of speaking and singing, and singing while speaking. The singing style of Hancheng Yangko also uses a large number of dialect syllables, Lining words and sentences are used to enhance the content of the performance, which also forms the unique musical characteristics of Hancheng Yangko.

Thirdly, the props and costumes are simple and light. During the performance, the clown has a white nose, wears casual clothes, a white pleated skirt around his waist, a straw hat on his head, and holds a flower fan or a pipe in his hand. The dandruff is painted with makeup, the eyebrows are pasted on the temples, the man wears a red coat and green trousers, and holds a flower fan or handkerchief. The clever use of props forms a major feature of Hancheng Yangko. As the saying goes: "The fan can fan the wind, cover the face and convey emotions. Use the fan skillfully to express joy and anger, and have an unusual temperament. The pipe can be used as a flute to blow, and it can also be used as a riding whip. It can be used as a variety of weapons, as well as a staff, a walking stick, "Umbrella." Qin Opera, also known as Luantan, originated from the West Qin Opera and is popular in Shaanxi, Gansu, Qinghai, Ningxia, Xinjiang and other places in northwest my country. Because it uses jujube wooden bangzi as the percussion instrument, it is also called "Bangzi Opera" and is commonly known as "Huan Opera". "桄子" (because it makes a "wandering" sound when hitting the knot with a bang). The legend of "Bo Zhonglian" by an unknown person in the late Ming Dynasty used the tune of "Second Offender of Western Qin Opera", so it is known that it originated from Gansu. Gansu was called Western Qin in ancient times, hence its name. During the reign of Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty, Zhang Dingwang, a native of Jingyang, Shaanxi Province, wrote "On Qin Opera". It can be seen that Qin Opera has developed into a mature stage at this time. During the Qianlong period, Wei Changsheng went to Beijing to perform Qin Opera, which caused a sensation in the capital. It has a direct impact on the formation of Bangzi tunes in various places.

Qinqiang singing is a variation of the plate style, divided into two types: happy sounds and bitter sounds. The former is good at expressing cheerful and joyful emotions; the latter is good at expressing grief, anger and desolate emotions. Choose and use according to the plot and characters in the play. The board styles include Adagio, Erliu, Dai Ban, Qi Ban, Pointed Ban, Rolling Ban and Coloratura. The drawl is particularly distinctive. The main instrument is banhu, with a sharp and clear pronunciation.

The performances of Qin Opera are simple, rough, delicate and profound, touching with emotion and full of exaggeration. There are 13 roles in total, including four students, six dans, two jings and one chou, also known as the "Thirteen Heads of Nets". They are both good at performing, singing and doing. After the Revolution of 1911, the Yisu Society was established in Xi'an, specializing in Qin Opera. It reformed vigorously and absorbed the nutrients of Peking Opera and other operas. The singing style changed from high-pitched and passionate to soft and clear, preserving the original style while incorporating new styles.

Qin Opera has evolved into different schools due to different popular areas: the one popular in Dali and Pucheng in the Weinan area of ??eastern Guanzhong is called Donglu Qin Opera (i.e. Tongzhou Jiazi, also called Lao Qin Opera) , East Road Bangzi); popular in Fengxiang, Qishan, Longxian in the Baoji region of central and western Guanxi and Tianshui in Gansu Province, called Xilu Qinqiang (also called Xifu Qinqiang, West Road Bangzi); popular in Yangxian and Chenggu in the Hanzhong area There are Han operas in Hanzhong, Hanzhong, and Mianxian (actually called Nanlu Qin opera, also called Han opera, Qin opera, and Huanhuan opera); those popular in Xi'an are called Zhonglu Qin operas (that is, Xi'an Luantan). The west part of it entered Sichuan and became Bangzi; the east part became Shanxi Opera, Henan Opera, and Hebei Bangzi. Therefore, Qin Opera can be regarded as the originator of Peking Opera, Henan Opera, Jin Opera, and Hebei Bangzi. Due to the influence of local dialects and folk music, various Qin operas have slight differences in pronunciation, singing, music and other aspects. In the past fifty years, the development of the East, West and South Shain Opera has tended to stagnate and is likely to be replaced by the Middle Shain Opera.

According to current statistics, there are about 3,000 repertoires performed by Qin Opera, most of which are based on the talents of heroes from the "Liuguo", "Three Kingdoms", "Yang Family Generals", "Shuo Yue" and other dramas. Legends or tragedies, as well as myths, folk tales and various koan dramas. It has rich traditional repertoire, with 2,748 copies preserved.

Excellent actors of Qin Opera, in addition to Wei Changsheng, a great artist from the north and south in the Qing Dynasty, there are also Wang Xiangyun, Chen Yubi (good official), who is known as the Four Beauties of the Flower Department, and Shen Xianglin of the Weinan School, Tongzhou Luan Xiaohui from the Zhouzhi faction, Tao Suoer from the Zhouzhi faction, Yue Sezi from the Chang'an faction, etc. In the middle and late Guangxu period, there were Runrunzi, Yu Xier, Chen Yunong, Dang Ganting, Zhao Jiemin, Li Yunting (pockmarked red), Liu Lijie (carpenter red), Wang Wenpeng, etc.

Since the Revolution of 1911, there have been famous Ugly Horse civilians, including niche students Su Zhemin and Su Yumin, Dan Liu Zhensu (known as "keeping pace" with Ouyang Yuqian), Wang Tianmin (known as "Northwestern Mei Lanfang"), Li Zhengmin (known as "Qin Opera" Authentic"), He Zhenzhong, Song Shanghua, etc. Their names were Jingtian Denian and Xu, who gave birth to He Jiayan, Geng Shanmin, Zhang Suozhong, Liu Yuzhong and Liu Yiping. In particular, Qinqiang performing artists Chen Yunong, Wang Wenpeng, Dang Ganting, Li Zhengmin, Wang Tianmin, Liu Yuzhong, as well as editors of the original "Sanyi Society" Li Yisheng and Su Zhemin, etc., have made innovations in singing, performance, makeup and modeling.