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Arts & Communication Hybrid music and ethnicity in Quangang Beiguan

Table 1. A comparison between instruments used in Beiguan, Jiang sizhu, Cantonese Music and Puxian shifan
Jiangnan sizhu 24 Cantonese Music 25 Beiguan 26 Puxian shifan (shiyin/ten tones) 27
Hard‑bow ensemble Soft‑bow Putian Xianyou Wushifan
ensemble Wenshifan Wenshifan
Wind Di (transverse flute), Dizi Dongxiao Sheng, dongxiao, Sudi Sheng, xiao, Hengdi
instruments sheng, xiao pinxiao (dizi), ài-á hengdi
(small suona)
Plucked string Xiao sanxian (small Sanxian (three-stringed Yueqin (short-neck), Sanxian, Pipa, Sanxian,
instruments three-stringed lute), pipa lute), yueqin (moon lute) xiao sanxian bajiaoqin, sanxian octagonal
jiuxianqin lute
Bowed string Erhu Erxian (two-stringed Yuehu, Piaohu (yehu), The haegeum, Laohu, erhu, Banhu,
instruments lute), tiqin (da banhu) qinqin, yehu shuangqing, tihu sihu, chihu yazheng sihu, erhu,
(jinghu), mahu (gaohu chihu,
or erhu), chihu, zhonghu,
ganghu, dahu, banhu gonghu
Percussion Yangqin, drum, ban Yangqin Yangqin, dabo (big Danpi, tanban Paiban, Yunluo
instruments (clapper), muyu (wooden cymbal), xiaobo (wooden yunluo
fish), ling (bell) (smallcymbal), daluo clapper),
(big gong), xiaoluo yunluo
(small gong), bangu,
muyu, xiaotanggu, ban

Beiguan with southern Fujian music, Xiang Opera music, terms of articulation, making his singing more euphemistic
and especially Puxian music .” and elegant .” Lian Yubi was born in Fengshan Village,
30 26
28 24
Another example is Zhuang Nengzong (1926–2015), a Batou, Quangang District. He can sing and play Beiguan,
native of Shanyao, Quangang District. While teaching and and perform Xiang Opera. He also founded the Fengshan
singing Beiguan, he also rehearses Peking Opera with local Beiguan Team and Fengsheng Xiang Opera Troupe. “He is
ensembles. “His Peking Opera vocals receive high praise the only nanqiang singer left in the Quangang Beiguan circle.
from local people.” The Beiguan songs he sings also win praise His singing style is very unique and contains the excellent
31 27
from local audiences, because “his voice is loud and clear, and characteristics of southern Fujian music .”
his singing, with elements of Peking Opera, is passionate. He Therefore, tunes from various sources have been
also knows how to use glissandos to deal with certain special introduced into Quangang and localized to varying degrees
sounds during vocal performance. Moreover, he maneuvers after they were sung and played by local people. The most
his singing into Puxian music and Nanyin singing styles where prominent feature of the localization is the fusion of foreign
initials and finals of some special characters are articulated music and Puxian music. The most popular local music in
at proper intervals. This makes his voice softer and more most areas of Quangang is Puxian music. Local people love to
stunning. Zhuang is indeed an outstanding representative listen to Puxian music and Puxian Opera. Therefore, Beiguan
of the beipai (“northern school”) artists in the Beiguan circle “is ‘Puxianized’ to varying degrees in terms of vocal styles,
in Quangang and Hui’an .” Others comment that Zhuang singing techniques, tones, instruments used, and performance
29 25
Longzong “has a loud voice and passionate performance, styles .” “Over time, Puxian music has become the framework
32 28
and he can also absorb some singing skills of Nanyin in of reference for shaping Beiguan ensembles nowadays .”
33 29
24. See An Overview of Chinese Folk Music by Zhou Qingqing. The influence of Puxian music can be specifically seen
People’s Music Publishing House, 2003, p. 202. in how Quangang artists play shuangqing when they play
25. Ibid., p. 204
26. From An Overview of Quanzhou Beiguan by Li Jiping and 30. See “Zhuang Yuzong and Zhuang Longzong: National
Huang Jiahui, 2009, Xiamen University Press, p. 4. Representative Successors for Beiguan.” China Beiguan (first
27. For more information on “Shiyinbayue (ten tunes and issue), 2015, vol. 1, pp. 68-70.
eight music pieces)”, please visit http://baike.baidu.com/ 31. “Beiguan Artists and Ensembles” by Gu Chuan. Quangang
view/2033702.htm. Beiguan Music. Chinese Literature and History Press, 2002, p. 79.
28. See “Beiguan Artists and Ensembles” by Gu Chuan. 32. From An Overview of the Art of Quanzhou Beiguan by Gu
Quangang Beiguan Music. Chinese Literature and History Chuan, 2010, Hong Kong Timar Publication Company
Press, 2002, p. 76. Limited, p. 69.
29. Ibid., pp. 76-77. 33. Ibid., p. 95.

Volume 1 Issue 1 (2023) 7 https://doi.org/10.36922/ac.419