MUZI MUZIChinese Matrix

Errenzhuan

Two performers who sing, talk, act and dance

Introduction

The Northeast's sung-and-danced duet of a dan and a chou, with fans and handkerchiefs

Errenzhuan, formerly called bengbeng, is a sung-and-danced quyi form of Liaoning, Jilin, Heilongjiang and eastern Inner Mongolia, performed mainly by a dan and a chou who talk, sing and dance with fans and handkerchiefs to banhu fiddle, suona and bamboo clappers. It is generally thought to have formed in the mid-Qing from the Northeast big yangge and the lianhualuo brought from inside the Great Wall; around Liaoyang it is traced to the Qianlong–Jiaqing reigns, and it later divided into eastern, western, southern and northern schools. Its forms are the duet, the solo danchutou and group singing, with traditional pieces such as Blue Bridge, The Western Chamber and Eighth Sister Yang's Spring Outing. The name errenzhuan appeared in a newspaper in 1934 and came into general use from 1953.

Timeline

Mid-Qing (Qianlong–Jiaqing reigns) to present
1790 · OriginIn the mid-Qing, in the Qianlong–Jiaqing reigns, temple fairs flourished around Liaoyang, where local yangge merged with the lianhualuo brought from inside the Great Wall into bengbeng, sung and danced by a dan and a chou.1913 · EvolutionIn the early Republic commercial bengbeng performances spread through villages, teahouses and mat-shed theatres; in 1913 the Fengtian authorities banned bengbeng, and restrictions recurred under the Republic and Manchukuo.1953 · EvolutionThe name errenzhuan had appeared in the Taidong ribao in 1934; in 1953 the Northeast delegation adopted it at the national folk music and dance festival in Beijing, and it became the general name.2006 · ImpactIn 2006 Northeast errenzhuan entered the first national ICH list as V-35, nominated by Heishan and Tieling in Liaoning, Jilin Province and Hailun in Heilongjiang; extensions in 2008 and 2014 added Suileng, Tongliao, Liaoyang and Lishu.
  1. 1790OriginIn the mid-Qing, in the Qianlong–Jiaqing reigns, temple fairs flourished around Liaoyang, where local yangge merged with the lianhualuo brought from inside the Great Wall into bengbeng, sung and danced by a dan and a chou.
  2. 1913EvolutionIn the early Republic commercial bengbeng performances spread through villages, teahouses and mat-shed theatres; in 1913 the Fengtian authorities banned bengbeng, and restrictions recurred under the Republic and Manchukuo.
  3. 1953EvolutionThe name errenzhuan had appeared in the Taidong ribao in 1934; in 1953 the Northeast delegation adopted it at the national folk music and dance festival in Beijing, and it became the general name.
  4. 2006ImpactIn 2006 Northeast errenzhuan entered the first national ICH list as V-35, nominated by Heishan and Tieling in Liaoning, Jilin Province and Hailun in Heilongjiang; extensions in 2008 and 2014 added Suileng, Tongliao, Liaoyang and Lishu.

Heritage Listings

  1. 2006National List of Representative Items of Intangible Cultural Heritage1st batch · V-35 Northeast errenzhuan · no. 271 · nominated by Heishan County and Tieling · Liaoning · Jilin Province · Hailun · Heilongjiang
  2. 2008National ICH extension itemsV-35 Northeast errenzhuan: Suileng County · Heilongjiang · Tongliao · Inner Mongolia
  3. 2014National ICH extension itemsV-35 Errenzhuan: Liaoyang · Liaoning · Lishu County · Jilin