Jin Opera (Shanxi Opera)

Introduction

Central Shanxi's Zhonglu clapper opera

Jin opera is one of the four clapper-opera (bangzi) forms of Shanxi; because it arose in central Shanxi it is also called Zhonglu bangzi, and outside the province Shanxi bangzi. In the early Qing, Puzhou bangzi reached the Jinzhong area and fused with Qi-Tai yangge and local folk music, with Shanxi merchants and local scholars taking part; the form matured in the late Qing and early Republic, and the name Jinju appeared in 1925. Its music is of the beat-pattern (banqiang) type, with luantan, qiang'er and quzi melodies, accompanied by four main strings, the jinhu, erxian, sanxian and sixian, and its acting includes pheasant-feather and hat-wing skills. Plays include Beating the Golden Branch, The Wei River and Golden Water Bridge, and it is performed in central and northern Shanxi and parts of Inner Mongolia, Hebei and northern Shaanxi.

Timeline

1. 1750OriginIn the Qing, Puzhou bangzi reached Jinzhong and fused with Qi-Tai yangge and local folk song, and with the help of Shanxi merchants and local scholars Zhonglu bangzi took shape.
2. 1925EvolutionThe late Qing and early Republic were the form's mature period, when the first generation of actresses, led by Ding Guoxian, took the stage; the name Jinju appeared in 1925.
3. 1955ImpactIn 1955 Beating the Golden Branch, starring Ding Guoxian and Niu Guiying among others, was filmed, the first Jin opera film.

Heritage Listings

1. 2006National List of Representative Items of Intangible Cultural Heritage1st batch · IV-18 · nominated by Shanxi Province
2. 2011National List of Representative Items of Intangible Cultural Heritage, extension3rd batch · IV-18 · nominated by Hohhot · Inner Mongolia
3. 2014National List of Representative Items of Intangible Cultural Heritage, extension4th batch · IV-18 · nominated by Jinzhong · Shanxi