Quanzhou Nanyin originated in the Tang Dynasty and formed in the Song Dynasty. It is mainly popular in areas where overseas Chinese live in southern Fujian, Taiwan and Nanyang Islands.

Quanzhou Nanyin: also known as "Nanqu", "Nanle", "Nanguan" and "Xianguan", it is known as the "living fossil" of music culture. Pipa in the Tang Dynasty generally used plectrums, and It is a horizontal hug posture, and Quanzhou Nanyin still maintains this legacy.

The "clapper" used in Nanyin and its playing method are the same as those in the Dunhuang murals.

Nanqu is mainly popular in Quanzhou, Jinjiang, Longxi and Xiamen in southern Fujian. It is also popular in places where overseas Chinese live in Taiwan and Nanyang Islands.

It is generally believed that Nanqu originated in the Tang Dynasty and formed in the Song Dynasty:

(1) According to literature records: In the first year of Emperor Xizong Guangqi of the Tang Dynasty (885), Brothers Wang Chao and Wang Shenzhi led their troops into Fujian. They brought with them the "Daqu" of the Tang Dynasty and spread it among the people.

The mutual influence and absorption of Daqu and local folk music resulted in the unique "Southern Opera".

(2) The pipa, the main instrument of Nanqu, is played while leaning on the side.

The flute used is strictly one foot and eight inches.

The playing posture and shape of these two instruments are consistent with those of the old Tang Dynasty.

(3) Many of the names of Nanqu tunes are the same as those of Daqu and Faqu in the Tang Dynasty.

Such as "Maha Tuole", "Midnight Song", "Qing Ping Le", "Liangzhou Song", "Brahman", etc.

(4) The five famous dramas of "Southern Opera" in the Song Dynasty: "The Story of Jingchai", "The Story of the White Rabbit", "The Story of Worshiping the Moon", "The Story of Killing the Dog" and "The Story of Pipa", which are also known as Southern Operas. Sing these plays.

The spread of Nanqu among the people depends on the inheritance and dissemination of community organizations.

Since the Qing Dynasty, societies have been established in Quanzhou, Xiamen, Jinjiang, Nan'an, Hui'an, Anxi and other places, and professional teachers have taught the skills.

Since the founding of the People’s Republic of China, many Nanyin research societies and Nanyin research societies have been established.

A professional Nanqu music group was also established.

Characteristics of Nanyin

Nanyin music includes three categories: "finger, score, and tune". The notation method is unique. The band combination is divided into "upper four pipes" and "lower four pipes". There are two types of "tube".

Nanqu music includes three categories: "zhi, score, and tune":

"Zhi" is a big piece of music with lyrics, score, and pipa fingering instructions.

"Pu" is an instrumental performance score without words but with pipa fingerings.

There were originally thirteen sets, which were later increased to sixteen sets; the sixteen sets of Nanqu "notations" are composed of "four" (four seasonal scenes), "mei" (plum blossom exercises), The four sets of "Zuo" (Eight Horses) and "Gui" (Birds Returning to their Nests) are the most famous

"Qu" is Sanqu (also known as Caoqu), which occupies a large proportion in Nanqu music. No less than a thousand.

The Gongchi harmony used in Nanqu is unique. It is a unique notation format, with "X (the common writing of the word "Chi"), Gong, Liu, Tu, -".

These five characters represent "Gong, Shang, Jiao, Zheng, Yu" in order.

Use a fixed roll-call method.

The band combination of Nanqu has a fixed form, which is divided into two types: "upper four pipes" and "lower four pipes".

① The upper four guans are divided into two different combinations: "dong guan" and "quality guan":

Dong guan - five types of dong guan, erxian, pipa, sanxian and clapper .

There are five types of quality control: pinxiao (i.e. flute), two-stringed instrument, pipa, three-stringed instrument and clapper.

②The lower four wind instruments include Nanai (alto suona), pipa, three-stringed strings, two-stringed strings, ring lamp, barking dog, duo (wooden fish), four treasures, sound (brass bell), and flat drum , there are ten types, so it is also called "Ten Tones".

In the Hui'an area, gongs, bronze bells, small hairpins and shengs are used.

The upper four pipes belong to the silk and bamboo band, and the lower four pipes belong to the wind and percussion band.

Quanzhou Nanyin has a profound and rich historical and cultural heritage.

It was spread from the Central Plains to southern Fujian. These Central Plains music and the local music of southern Fujian penetrated and merged with each other, giving birth to Quanzhou Nanyin.

Quanzhou was the famous largest port in the East during the Song Dynasty. It attracted a large number of Chinese and foreign merchants and literati. The economy was quite developed and various cultural exchanges were frequent. It showed a prosperous scene of "thousands of Luoqi orchestras singing" .

This can be confirmed by the masterpiece "Han Xizai's Night Banquet" by Gu Hongzhong of the Southern Tang Dynasty.

Quanzhou Nanyin consists of three parts: score, fingering and music.

The score is a relic of the Tang Dynasty opera. The content of the lyrics is mostly related to the drama, and the structural form of the music is directly related to the Yuan opera.

Quanzhou Nanyin also absorbs Buddhist and Taoist music, Chu songs, Wu songs, Chao tunes and local music of southern Fujian, as well as Yiyang tune, Qingyang tune and Kun tune.

The position of Quanzhou Nanyin singing is fixed as follows: the singer holds the clapper board in the middle; to the left, the dongxiao is above and the second string is below; to the right, the pipa is above and the third string is below.

The singing procedure is fixed to "finger tip and tail", which means that you must play a set or a fold of "finger" at the beginning, and at the end you must play the "sha tail" of the score; in the middle of the singing, you must also follow the "branch tip" "Proceed in order.

To "start the song", that is, each branch must have a person who takes the lead in singing. The song he sings belongs to which branch, and other people must follow the song of this branch.

If you change the branch, you must sing the "passing song" as a transition and connection.

After the previous one finished singing, the next one took over the clapper and continued singing, with basically no interruption in the accompaniment of the instruments.

There are also rules for playing musical instruments. The pipa is the leader and plays the role of conducting the orchestra; the harmony of the three strings is like "the harmony of the harp and the harp"; and the relationship between the dongxiao and the second string is that the dongxiao is the main one and the second string is the supplement. , "The flute bites the string, and the string enters the flute", which is the so-called "the silk and bamboo are more harmonious, and the one who holds the strings sings".

Regardless of its performance form or music content, Nanyin has always maintained the ancient customs and taste of the ancient Central Plains. It has high research value and high appreciation value.

Representative songs "Eight Horses", "Plum Blossom Exercise", etc.

At present, Quanzhou has decided to declare Quanzhou Nanyin as a "World Heritage" (UNESCO's "Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity"), and "Quanzhou Nanyin Research" has been listed as a "World Heritage" by UNESCO. The Ministry has been included in the project plan of "Central Asia - Dialogue between Eastern and Western Cultures".