The remains of the sheepskin drum ritual dance in Qin'an, Gansu Province. Drums have an indissoluble bond with Chinese culture. The history of Chinese civilization almost goes by accompanied by the rumbling drums. As one of the birthplaces of Chinese civilization, the people living in the northwest region not only show a preference for the creation of drum instruments and drums, but also show their unique spirituality in the use of drums. From the plateau to the mountainous area, from the loess slopes to the Gobi oasis, wherever there is smoke from cooking, there is the sound of drums. Wherever there is the sound of drums, there are figures dancing to the rhythm.
Among the many drum drums, the sheepskin drum dance that is widely spread in Longnan, Tianshui, Gansu and Dingxi is unique. Sheepskin drum, as the name suggests, is a hand-held single-sided drum made of sheepskin. Because its shape is oblate, fan-shaped, peach-shaped, etc., it is also called fan drum, rotating drum, etc. Each form of drum is connected to an ancient legend, and each type of drum shows the character and aesthetic characteristics of the residents of a place. Every first lunar month, the Dragon Boat Festival, and after the summer and autumn harvests, the people here will throw away their arms and hold sheepskin drums in their hands. They will express their best wishes with the rumble of drums.
Regarding the origin of sheepskin drumming, there are many folk oral legends and many researchers’ own speculations. However, we can only get some sporadic, vague and vague judgments from today’s current situation. Enough historical data connects these seemingly familiar and explosive phenomena smoothly in the long river of human memory. But one thing that is clear is that Sheepskin Dance has accumulated a long history and carries the tradition and culture of the people who live here. With the passage of time, the sheepskin drums in various places in Tianshui have been inherited and developed along different trajectories, relying on the influence of local folk customs and folk art where they grew up. At present, the sheepskin drum in Ganhu Township, Qin'an County is still a typical example and still retains the original legacy of the sheepskin drum.
1. Basic overview of Qin’an Sheepskin Drum Sacrifice Activities
Qin’an, known as Chengji in ancient times, is the birthplace of the famous early Neolithic primitive home-farming tribe site in China, the Diwan Culture. . Qicheng is located in Xingguoang Town, 309 kilometers away from Lanzhou City, the provincial capital. Legend has it that Fuxi, who first painted Bagua and taught people how to fish, and Nuwa, who refined stones to mend the sky and clay to create humans, both lived here. Therefore, this place is also called Xiliwo Township. Wangzui Village in Ganhu Township is located 17 kilometers west of Yancheng, Qin'an. There are more than 500 people in the village with the main surname being Wang Zhou. The middle to late August of the lunar calendar is a time for thousands of households to have a rest. At this time, every household is thinking about the annual legend. The Qin'an sheepskin drum dance, named after the expressive spirit, is a stylized folk sacrificial dance with the main content of praising Fuxi, praying for blessings from the gods, and thanking the gods for gratitude. The "Praying the Gods" event lasts for three days, from the 17th to the 19th of the eighth month of the lunar calendar. This spontaneous folk sacrificial activity touches everyone's heart. Everyone, male, female, old and young, will voluntarily contribute money. The funds raised by each household are used to purchase and make sacrificial offerings. Product material. During the meeting, small offerings of pasta and various fruits and grains harvested that year are also presented. At that time, everyone will elect the current president. The president will discuss with the seniors who have mastered the program and specific details of the activity to coordinate and manage this year's expressive activities. The activity venue moves every year, so each family will have the opportunity to undertake this activity. During this period, individuals can eat at home or in groups at the meeting. Small commodities and vegetables grown by farmers are also allowed to be sold during the meeting. People who work or go to school outside will try their best to come back and participate in this event as long as time permits.
The people here use farming as the main mode of production to maintain their own survival and continuation. The unique culture gave birth to the unique Qin'an sheepskin inspiration. The unique sheepskin inspiration is deeply rooted in this ancient land. From the basic dance dynamics to the dance props throughout the dance. The lyrics to the costumes of the characters all reflect the unique cultural connotation and lifestyle here.
(1) The significance of the sheepskin drum ritual activities at three different periods
The Qin'an sheepskin drum, in the name of seed propagation, has been passed down from generation to generation since its formation in the Ming Dynasty. The so-called conveying the spirit can be understood in multiple ways. It can be understood as summoning the gods to convey the will to the world on behalf of the gods, or it can be understood as conveying good wishes to the gods on behalf of the people. With Qin'an County's Qianhu as the leader, the activities of sheepskin drumming in various villages are slightly staggered, but there are three activities per year, and the rituals and meanings of each activity are different. These three times are around the Dragon Boat Festival in the first month of the lunar calendar and the slack season in the eighth lunar month.
1. The sixteenth day of the first lunar month. It is said that people dance the sheepskin drum from the tenth to the sixteenth day of the first lunar month mainly to commemorate Fuxi’s great achievement of inventing drilling wood to make fire. The invention of fire brought an end to the era of eating hair and drinking blood and greatly promoted the progress of human civilization. In order to praise Fuxi's merits, every year on the 16th day of the first lunar month (according to legend, this day is Fuxi's birthday) people dance the sheepskin drum to celebrate. and commemorate his great contribution. With the changes of the times, the sheepskin drum dance performed by thousands of households during the first lunar month has evolved into a social fire activity.
2. The Dragon Boat Festival is the time to walk around the village. There will be fragmented performances of sheepskin drumming in various villages or fragmented performances of sheepskin drumming rituals according to the needs of each village. The sheepskin drum performance at this time has a strong witchcraft color that summons the gods to ward off disasters and provide refuge. Historically, hail and drought were major natural disasters for thousands of households in Qin'an. Every year around the Dragon Boat Festival, which is the busy farming season in Qin'an, villagers prayed to the God of Thunder through the dancing of sheepskin drums to prevent sudden thunder and lightning from triggering hail and violent storms at this time, which would trigger landslides. A series of unimaginable consequences of fires killing humans and animals. It is also hoped that the chanting of the drums will produce a huge roar to disperse the dark clouds that may fill the sky at any time, because the bad weather at this time may destroy the food crops that have been worked hard for a year.
3. The Sheepskin Drum Festival Ceremony held between the 17th and 19th of the eighth lunar month is the most solemn event of the year for thousands of households. It gathers all the wishes of the villagers, including praying to God for blessings and giving thanks. At this time, all the villagers, old and young, will gather together with great piety.
(2) Basic procedures for the Sheepskin Drum Ceremony
The three-day event from the 17th to the 19th of the eighth lunar month*** includes the following 16 procedures. Although the entire event The process is complex but closely connected and orderly, accompanied by singing, dancing and music throughout.
In the God of Joy unit, every villager uses his own unique skills to try his best to make the God happy. When the God gets spiritual joy, people will naturally be happy. Therefore, this is a passage that entertains gods and people. It is also a passage that entertains people. The calm dance posture and the thundering drum sound create a solemn atmosphere. The acrobatic skills reflect the extraordinary courage and skill of the individual. However, the drummer Their pious "Song of Beating the Gods" truly sings about the wise men in the world, in the process of entertaining the gods, humans and gods are entertained, and heaven and man are unified.
In the back drum unit, the two masters go from holding two drums to carrying eight drums on their backs, holding two drums in their mouths, and rotating counterclockwise and clockwise while carrying twelve drums. The difficulty is It is conceivable. People spin the drum, and the drum spins according to the person. It was no longer possible to clearly see the people surrounded by the drums, only the twelve drums were constantly rotating.
Sitting on the altar is a sacrificial activity with rap as the main form. It is late at night and people are tired, but the achievements of the gods cannot be finished in three days and three nights. We gather around the bonfire to reminisce about the merits of our ancestors, talk about the merits of our ancestors, sing songs in the first dynasty and then the dynasty from the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors to the various gods and goddesses. People use spiritual singing and dancing to please the gods in order to obtain their protection, protection and blessings. At the same time, in their long lives, farmers have constantly summed up their experiences. Under the coordination and operation of sunshine, land, mountains, rivers, and trees, they have gradually reached a certain level of consciousness with all the things in the world that are closely related to them, that is, unified in the same structure and rhythm. It operates and abstracts a set of ontological views of the unity of nature and man from the relationship between man and nature such as farming, sowing, collecting and dependence on time and place. This established a picture of traditional Chinese culture belonging to this side, which is the destination of Qin'an people's survival and the foundation of their farming life and beliefs.
2. The performance mechanism of Qin’an sheepskin drum ritual dance
(1) The inheritance of sheepskin drum dance:
1. The participants are not limited to the Wang family of the village Family members, any nearby male who is interested in this, regardless of age, can learn this inspiration.
2. Method of teaching: (1) passed down from generation to generation in the family (2) taught to others by highly respected people with strong performance skills.
(2) Role allocation of sheepskin drum dance:
There are three main roles in this dance:
1. Master
Red turban with yellow velvet flower in front of forehead. Wearing a black pleated top, the collar, cuffs and cuffs are all trimmed with red edges. Wearing black bloomers with a black or red ribbon tied around the waist. Wearing black cloth shoes.
2. Master (men disguised as women)
The headdress is called dragon horse head by the locals.
A net-shaped hat made of black, red or colored strings. A headband with red cloth strips is tied behind the head. Two red silk ribbons hang down from the chest. The net-shaped headdress is followed by a long braid. Wearing a red double-breasted sleeveless gown. Wear red skirt and black shoes. A purple red double-breasted long-sleeved knee-length robe is draped over the shoulders.
3. Drummers
Wearing yellow turbans and pink round-necked tops with red edges. Wearing pink bloomers under a red ribbon tied at the waist, and black cloth shoes.
(3) The modeling characteristics of the sheepskin drum
The main prop of Qin'an sheepskin drum ritual dance is the sheepskin drum, which is not only a dance tool, but also a musical instrument and sacrificial vessel. The sheepskin drum consists of three rings and nine buttons. Legend has it that these three rings symbolize Fuxi Nuwa and Xuanyuan Huangdi respectively. Perhaps because nine has a unique meaning in Chinese culture, the small drum ring of the sheepskin drum is connected with nine small rings, which is called nine buttons. The production of sheepskin drums is very particular, and there is a strict set of procedures from material selection, processing to maintenance and use. As a symbol of auspiciousness and sacredness, after each use, the people must wrap them in thick cloth bags and store them together solemnly in the homes of prestigious villagers in the village.
1. Drum shape and drum surface
The drum shape of the sheepskin drum is a fan-shaped one. It is covered with a single-sided sheepskin by a fan-shaped iron ring. It is usually divided into two sizes: large and small. The diameter is 62cm. Before use, the drum is usually placed flat on the ground and a small amount of water is sprayed on the drum surface for short-term penetration to prevent the drum surface from bursting after intervals of use.
2. Drum handle and drum hoop
The drum hoop is formed by bending a flat iron bar. The iron hoop is bent until it is closed and straightened, which means the drum handle is about 13cm long. The outside of the drum handle is wrapped with cloth strips or hemp rope, firstly to prevent the iron handle from scratching the hands and secondly to make it easier to hold. In addition, it can also play the role of connecting drum hoops and drum hoops together.
3. Drum hoop
The big drum hoop is an iron hoop with a diameter of about 18cm. The hoop is decorated with six small hoops with a diameter of about 7cm. There is a clang in the middle of the hoop. . The lower end of the big drum ring is inlaid with a small drum ring with a diameter of about 8cm. The small drum ring is also decorated with three small iron rings with a diameter of about 7cm. The locals call it the three rings and nine buttons that collide with each other and make a "swish" sound when they are shaken.
4. Whip
The whip of sheepskin drum is used to beat the drum and the prop is about 40cm long. Carved from wood. The top of the whip is ground into an oval or round head to increase the elasticity of the whip. The stick of the whip is wrapped with cloth or rattan. To prevent damage to the drum head when hitting. The tail end of the whip is tied with colorful cloth strips and hung into spikes for decoration.
(4) Other prop shapes (or accompaniment instruments) of sheepskin drums
In addition to sheepskin drums, Qin'an sheepskin drums are also supplemented by three-pointed two-edged nine-ring knives such as axes and boards. props. Along with farming beliefs, these props are given specific meanings that are appropriate to their economic life year after year.
1. Three-pointed, two-edged, nine-ring knife
The rectangular double-tough knife surface is about 22cm long and 6cm wide. It is slightly thicker in the middle and gradually becomes thinner towards the two toughness directions. The rectangular blade has three tooth-shaped points on the top and a semicircle on the bottom, with a handle about 9cm long inlaid in the middle. There are large drum rings and small drum rings in the same shape as the sheepskin drum. The diameter of the large drum ring is about 13cm, and the diameter of the small drum ring is about 7cm. The nine small rings are about 1.5cm in diameter.
2. Board
16cm long. There are six wooden boards with a width of 5cm and a thickness of about 0.5cm. There are holes drilled on the top. The six boards are connected together with hemp rope or red cloth strips. The holes on the top of each board are padded with leather rivets. There are red cloth tassels tied at the top of the two wooden boards at the beginning and end.
3. Axe
The total length is about 58cm. ***It is divided into three sections. The front section of the iron rod is about 25cm long and has a diameter of about 2.5cm. The top is triangular. The front section is connected to a 10cm diameter fan-shaped axe-shaped iron rod at 10cm. The other side is an inverted S-shaped ax handle connected to the front section of the iron rod and wrapped in a red cloth strip. The middle section is a wooden rod about 19cm long. The tail section is an iron rod about 15cm long. The middle section is spherical and gradually tapers into a cone shape.
4. General flag
The top of a wooden holder about 63cm long is decorated with strips of silk or colored cloth.
5. Stick
A cylindrical wooden stick with a diameter of about 4cm and a length of about 168cm.
3. Picture of the performance venue of Qin'an Sheepskin Drum Ceremonial Dance
Note: The number of performers in folk dances is often not fixed. In the author's three surveys, the number of performers in each performance was different. They are not the same, but the changes in their movements and formations remain the same. Therefore, in order to make the entire diagram look clear, a group of 8 people is specially selected as a mark.
The sheepskin drum dance runs throughout the entire ritual activity. There are different dance styles at different stages, and different dance styles tell the different wishes of the villagers. The most typical dance among Qin'an sheepskin drums is the dance rhythm and costumes associated with Fuxi culture. The master's headdress is called a dragon-horse head, a fish-scale mesh hat, a braid that is connected to the back of the head and tossed up repeatedly, and the ever-changing but ever-changing S-shape in the sacrificial dance pushed the entire ritual activity to a new level. climax. In our field surveys, we have never seen straight-line formations, but the two dragons spit out whiskers, spin 8, the four-cornered snake sheds its skin, the two dragons swing their tails, spin the snail, scissor strands, double spins, and figure 8, all of which flow in an S-shape. Derived from the basis. All viewers are solemn and all dancers seem to be a single body of movements inspired by certain emotions. An invisible appeal made them give up all their needs and desires at that moment, and dance for a motive, emotion and purpose. Following the leader of the dance team, the drummers changed various formations in an orderly manner. This complete set of dragon totem dance sacrificial scenes is displayed in front of us.
4. I sing, I dance and kowtow three times - a highly stylized sacrificial ceremony
In Qin'an's "Chuan Shen" sacrificial ceremony, Gong Zui The collective activities in which all people in the village participate are essentially a concentrated expression of the village's most cultural beliefs. And this kind of supreme cultural belief exists in a series of rituals. Various rituals use various forms of folk art to transform invisible and invisible spirits into tangible, concrete, direct and sensible images. It not only enhances the vividness of the ritual, but also casts a mysterious color on the ritual activities. What deserves our attention is that there are highly stylized rituals in this folk ritual activity
1. The 17 paragraphs in the seed propagation procedure are clear and complete;
2. In each paragraph Zhongjiping all follows fixed procedures such as holding drums, dancing, beating drums, singing, divination, kneeling and worshiping.
3. When drumming and singing, there are three forms: one person singing for everyone; antiphonal singing (similar to antiphonal singing) and solo singing.
4. The three forms of singing have the same characteristic, that is, the melody and mode of each paragraph are different, but the mode and melody of the same paragraph are the same, only the lyrics are different. Characteristics of the Three Sings;
5. The typical dance categories in each section of the dance are highlighted:
6. After each section, there is a ceremonial ceremony of drumming and three kowtows.
The emergence of these stylized rituals did not occur overnight, but is a sign of the high maturity of folk sacrificial rituals and folk art forms in long-term social life. The dance and singing sequences in these fixed programs reflect people's philosophical interests, dull life realm and ordinary life style under the influence of farming culture. These long-standing traditions are integrated with the form of folk art and the program of folk rituals. Beliefs and rituals are not mediocre and shallow, but they are mature, profound, generous, stable and peaceful after washing away the brilliance. In this way, we follow the procedures year after year, revealing rational and thoughtful thinking. This highly stylized sacrificial ceremony is essentially a microcosm of the social life of the residents in this region. It is not only related to the environment in which they live together and the common affairs they are carrying out, but also closely related to the collaborative nature of their behaviors displayed in ritual activities. This collaborative nature reveals the social rules or habits. Therefore, the stylized sacrificial rituals are, to a certain extent, a concentrated expression of the common needs of the residents with different social lives. Their human body or spiritual habits can indirectly or directly meet the needs of the residents. (For example, in Qin'an's ritual activities, we can see the different division of labor between men and women in daily life and work, between men and women, between elders and juniors, the status and relationship between village cadres and ordinary people, between villagers and outsiders. Communication among themselves and their attitude towards everything around them, etc.) Of course, with the development of society, this stylized ritual activity itself has gradually moved away from the most practical function of witchcraft, but the traditional power hidden in the stylized rituals (The coercion of historical means, ideological coercion and moral coercion, etc.) still affect the spiritual life and behavior of the residents in this area.
In this way, the life actions and social contracts of the residents are made public, traditional and standardized, while ensuring each other's interests and emphasizing each other's responsibilities, while arousing public actions and memories, which plays an important role in maintaining the unity of the residents.
Of course, highly stylized folk ritual activities, as an important product of human spiritual culture, in addition to the above functions, also have the function of eliminating the tension and restraint of life. After people have done a lot of hard work for culture, culture has prepared some compensation for them to adjust their monotonous life and lighten some of the burdens of life. Therefore, in Qin'an's folk ritual activities, folk art not only fulfilled this function, but also created an atmosphere of relaxation and freedom, which relieved the singers, dancers and viewers, inspired people's life, and improved social relations. An opportunity for re-adjustment The unique role played by folk art in stylized ritual activities is the most vivid and true expression of people's emotions in religious rituals. Thus, it has become an important carrier of culture and has an important impact on their common beliefs, their origins and ancestors, and their mutual recognition in real life.
From an artistic perspective, Qin'an's sheepskin drumming is a synthesis of singing, dancing and music, and from a cultural perspective, Qin'an's folk rituals are a synthesis of folk beliefs, folk customs and folk art. It is this characteristic that determines its important cultural value. This mixed state implies "the basic form of primitive culture. This folk ritual activity with sheepskin drums running through it still uses its own inherent routine in the era of rapid changes. It goes on in an orderly manner three times a year with an unchanging rhythm. This is the natural expression of the villagers' unpretentious faith between heaven and earth. The sheepskin drums are still clanking, the figures are still dancing, and the songs are still echoing in the ears. The pious hearts are still there. Will bow down and bow in an instant.
The study of folk dance culture starting from the Qin'an sheepskin drum ritual dance has led us into a situation that requires careful consideration and treatment. However, every time we step on it. The land of Qin'an is exposed to the solemn folk sacrificial activities, feeling the unique scene there and appreciating the depth and weight of the harmony hidden behind the form. I will pray that in today's rapid economic development, they will be here. Breathe freely and flow freely in the open world