National Culture Heritages in Guangxi (opera)

1. Tea-picking opera in southern Guangxi

Tea-picking opera is one of the opera dramas of the Han people in Guangxi. It is popular in Yubai, Xingye, Beiliu, and Luchuan in Bobai County, as well as its surrounding areas in the southwest of Guangxi and adjacent areas of Qinzhou.

The tea-picking operas in southern Guangxi were introduced to Bobai from Weinan in the late Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and gradually developed into an independent drama. The whole song and dance of the tea-picking opera in southern Guangxi reflects the enthusiasm for labor and the joy of the working people through the entire labor process of planting tea.

On May 20, 2006, tea-picking opera in southern Guangxi was approved by the State Council and listed in the first batch of national intangible cultural heritages.

Actors perform tea-picking opera. [Photo/gxfybhw.cn]

2. Yong Opera

Yong Opera is among one type of Guangxi national opera, which originated in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Yong Opera belongs to the pi-huang vocal tune system, which originated in Hunan province. It is one of the four local operas in Guangxi.

Different from other kinds of operas, many of the figures, shapes, and even movements of Yong Opera are derived from folk dancing, martial arts, and art styles jointly favored by the Zhuang and Han people in southwest Guangxi.

Yong Opera was listed as a national intangible cultural heritage on June 7, 2008.

A Yong opera performance. [Photo/gxfybhw.cn]

3. Dong Opera

Dong opera is based on the farming rice economy in the areas inhabited by the Dong people. It is one of the typical cultural representatives of this type of life and an important part of the existing cultural tradition of Dong people.

All Dong Opera is sung and has dialogues in the Dong language. The language is vivid and the images it congjures are figurative. It is closely matched with music. It has strong characteristics of the Dong nationality, possessing a strong voice and emotions. The combination of singing and dancing resonates with Dong audiences.

The main tunes of Dong Opera are flat and mournful tunes. The accompanying instruments of traditional Dong Opera are Erhu, bells, gongs, drums, and cymbals, while the new Dong Opera adds pipa, gehu, and yangqin.

On May 23, 2006, Dong Opera was approved by the State Council to be included in the national intangible cultural heritage list.

Actors perform Dong opera. [Photo/gxfybhw.cn]