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Arts & Communication Hybrid music and ethnicity in Quangang Beiguan

issue], second cover). It compares Beiguan with Nanyin, the orchestra helped to negotiate an agreement between
the latter included in the United Nations’ the Representative conflicting villages by using cultural and artistic exchanges
List of the Oral and Intangible Cultural Heritage of as a starting point .
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Humanity. However, this kind of statements are only In conclusion, there are three reasons why Beiguan can
attributed to people who play Beiguan. The Nanyin circle thrive in Quangang. The first reason, as stated above, is the
never gives this any credit. It can be seen that Beiguan positive, direct and concrete benefits of Beiguan to local
players pride themselves on their music, which represents people. Second, Beiguan is also a driving force behind
inter-sensibility. Accordingly, locals respect and are the economy which also benefits the music. In earlier
receptive to Beiguan. times, Beiguan performances were just musician’s self-

According to people from Quangang, people were amusement. Later, Beiguan ensembles were hired to follow
only accessible to a narrow choice of entertainment in the corteges. Their lively performance rendered the funeral
past. “Parents were afraid that their children would take up processions more solemn. As a result, a market emerges for
gambling and become addicted to drugs during the slack Beiguan. Third, the inclusion of Beiguan into the National
farming season. Therefore, these parents spontaneously List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of China endows locals
initiated stringed and wind instrument practices, which with a sense of collective honor, such that people are more
attracted a large crowd of spectators across age groups and committed to the inheritance and development of Beiguan.
genders. The participatory spectatorship motivated the Moreover, the devotion of government departments,
musicians .” “Until now, many elder artists still have fond experts, and scholars to Beiguan also improves how people
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memories of that period, saying “when I just started to learn perceive Beiguan.
Beiguan, I was so intoxicated with it that I forgot to have meals People’s love for Beiguan, a symbol of inter-sensibility,
sometimes. I didn’t have the time to think of gambling .” After can be exemplified by their words and deeds. For example,
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analyzing the lyrics of 57 Beiguan songs, Lin Jinhui argues Zhuang Bingwen studied Beiguan since he was a child, and
that Beiguan champions patriotism, nature, and harmony, later joined the Hui’an County Gaojia Theatrical Troupe
which embodies a traditional Chinese philosophical concept and became the head of the troupe. However, he always
— unity of Heaven and humanity — and demonstrates “regarded Beiguan as an unforgettable cultural memory.”
adamant humanistic ideals, open-mindedness, spiritual Therefore, he founded Quangang District Jinxiang Beiguan
toleration, empathy, righteousness, and innovation . These Art Ensemble in 2010 . Another example is Zheng Huihui
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lyrics convey an upbeat and uplifting message, which is the who graduated from Quanzhou Art School with a higher
emblem of inter-view and inter-sensibility. vocational degree as a Beiguan major. Now a primary
Acquiring a skill might lead to unexpected help. For school music teacher, she teaches Beiguan at the Beiguan
example, Guo Zongxing (1923 – 1989), a native of Fengwei, Research Centre every weekend. Zheng believes that “the
fled to Singapore when he was young to avoid conscription. more you know about Beiguan, the more you like this art
Because he could play many Beiguan instruments, he was form .” Huang Jiahui, director of the Quangang Cultural
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helped and held in high regard by music club members Centre, says that “in Quangang, you don’t need to know
from Hokkien Huay Kuan, Hui Ann Association, Nanyin, but you must know Beiguan, because it is unique
Kwangtung Hui Kuan, and other establishments in to Quangang and help people know Quangang .” Besides,
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Singapore . Zhuang Lizhi won the favor of officers and Quanzhou was designated as a sub-venue for the 2016
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soldiers during the Republican Era of China because of his CCTV Spring Festival Gala, and Sidajing, a Beiguan piece,
superb skills in stringing and playing. This enabled him to was performed. Although the show did not last long and the
“play a role in solving difficulties for himself and saving rehearsal came close to the record for lowest temperature
others .” Beiguan can also resolve conflicts. Allegedly, (reaching 1 degree Celsius), everyone was in high spirits.
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“The appearance of Beiguan in the Spring Festival Gala
44. See “Hui’an Beiguan” by Beiguan Editorial Committee, is the glory of Quangang, and it is also a milestone in the
Quanzhou, Fujian provincial volume, in Anthology of
Chinese Instrumental Music, edited by Wang Fengzhang, 49. From “Artistic Resources of Quangang Beiguan” by Lin
China ISBN Centre, 2008, p. 15. Guochun. China Beiguan (first issue), 2015, vol. 1, p. 25.
45. Ibid., p. 19. 50. See “The Champion of the Inheritance and Innovation
46. See “Humanism in Quanzhou Beiguan” by Lin Jinhui. China of Quangang Beiguan: On Zhuang Bingwen, leader of
Beiguan, 2015, vol. 4, pp. 25-28. Quangang District Jinxiang Beiguan Art Ensemble” by
47. See “Beiguan Artists and Ensembles” by Gu Chuan. Zheng Qiming. China Beiguan, 2015, vol. 4, pp. 43-48.
Quangang Beiguan Music. Chinese Literature and History 51. See “The Flower of Beiguan Blossoming in Quangang” by
Press, 2002, p. 78. Wang Shuai. China Beiguan, 2015, vol. 4, p. 7.
48. Ibid., p. 80. 52. Ibid., p. 8.

Volume 1 Issue 1 (2023) 10 https://doi.org/10.36922/ac.419