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Arts & Communication Hybrid music and ethnicity in Quangang Beiguan

include more than 30 professional theatrical troupes. These
troupes can perform Xiang Opera, Gaojia Opera, Puxian
Opera, Puppet Show and other local dramas, and they
can also sing and play Beiguan. In 2010, Fujian Vocational
College of Art opened a 5-year associate degree in Music
Recital (major on Beiguan) in Quanzhou Art School.
In 2014, Quangang District was honored as the
Hometown of Beiguan Music Culture in China, and the
Beiguan Inheritance and Protection Center was also
established. In the same year, the People’s Government of
Quangang District signed the Framework Agreement on
the Inheritance, Protection, and Cooperation of Quanzhou
Beiguan with Fujian Normal University. Therefore, the
university began to enroll both undergraduates majoring
in Music Recital and masters of arts whose research focus
is Beiguan. In recent years, Quangang District has carried
out cultural activities featuring finding common grounds,
for example, pairing of villages with the same name in
Fujian and Taiwan, seeking roots with villages from the
same clan, and exchanging music pieces of the same genre.
These events have connected eight pairs of villages with
the same name and clan on both sides of the Taiwan Strait,
and held many Beiguan seminars and performances to
exchange ideas, which won popular acclaim.
Figure 1. The relationship between Xianhua from Beiguan qupai titles
10
2. The hybrid music of Beiguan and “Molihua” from Jianghuai Music .
The features of regional music are inextricably intertwined (“Mulberry-picking”), Shachuangwai 纱窗外 (“Outside
with the local language. Although Beiguan is derived the Screen Window”), Guihuan 闺唤 (“Boudoir Calling”),
from Jianghuai xiaodiao, Peking Opera, Cantonese music Cailiange采莲歌 (“Lotus-picking Song”), Hongxiuxie红绣
and the like, its singing style exhibits local characteristics, 鞋 (“Red Embroidered Shoes”), Putao葡萄 (“Grape”),
such that “it appears in the form of Jianghuai songs, but Baozi Xing抱子行 (“Walking with Children Hefted into
it is, in essence, Quangang songs .” Therefore, Jianghuai Arms”), Caicha采茶 (“Tea-picking”), and Libie Diao离别
8
music, Mandarin with a Hokkien accent and local musical 调 (“Farewell Tune”). In addition, the tune of Baibuyu白卜
instruments in Quangang have combined to create 玉, one of Beiguan qupai titles, is also akin to that of its
Beiguan, a hybrid music. Jianghuai counterpart, Pipoyu劈破玉 .
9 ,10
The origin of Beiguan has been well researched and Figure 1 shows the pu depicting the relationship
crystallized. First, elements of Jianghuai music are built between Xianhua from Beiguan qupai titles and “Molihua”
into Beiguan. For example, Gu Chuan points out that the from Jianghuai Music.
Jianghuai folk song “Molihua 茉莉花” (“Jasmine”), which
secures nationwide popularity, plays a key role in Beiguan. Wang Yaohua specifies that in Beiguan’s repertoire and
The song has influenced, to a varying extent, a variety of qupai titles, Xianhua, Da Huagu, Xin Moli, Zhaojun Chusai,
Beiguan music, as evidenced by quite a few qupai titles Nigu Xiashan, and the like are closely related to Xianhua
such as Xianhua鲜花 (“Fresh Flower”), Sidajing 四大景 Diao 鮮花調 (“Fresh flower tune”) and Da Huagu from
(“Four Major Scenes”), Sijijing 四季景 (“Views of Four Jiangsu folk songs in terms of structures, rhythms, and
Seasons”), Xin Moli 新茉莉 (“New Jasmine”), Da Huagu melodies. More precisely, Xianhua from Beiguan is similar
打花鼓 (“Beating flower-drum”), Zhaojun Chusai昭君出 to Jianghuai’s “Molihua” in their tunes. The melody of
塞 (“Zhaojun departing for the frontier”), Nigu Xiashan 尼 Beiguan’s Da Huagu is a combination of that of Fengyang
姑下山 (“Nun Going Downhill”), Caisang采桑 Huagu 凤阳花鼓 (“Fengyang flower drum”) and Xianhua
Diao. Xinmoli from Beiguan basically uses the same tune of
8. See “The Artistic Features of Quangang Beiguan” by Gu
Chuan. Quangang Beiguan Music. Chinese Literature and 9. Ibid., pp. 13-23.
History Press, 2002, p. 49. 10. Ibid., p. 15

Volume 1 Issue 1 (2023) 4 https://doi.org/10.36922/ac.419