Fireworks drama is also called fireworks in Wengyuan, and can be traced back to the Tongzhi period of the Qing Dynasty.
Komiks Text/Photo Yangcheng School reporter Zhang Wen Correspondent He Xiaohong Huang Yingxiang
The last fireworks opera was ten years since its last performance (data picture, provided by Wengyuan County Cultural Center)
Wengyuan fireworks opera is a folk technique originating from Zhoupi Town, Wengyuan County, northern Guangdong. It was selected into the second batch of intangible cultural heritage in Shaoguan City in 2008. Because earth and gunpowder are under control and inheritors are difficult to find, this once glorious performance skill is on the verge of losing, and the last performance was ten years ago. With the 70-year-old representative inheritor of Weng Yuan Fireworks Opera, He Xiu, initially found esophageal cancer two years ago, the pace of losing Weng Yuan Fireworks Opera has further accelerated. The reporter recently learned from Wengyuan County that the local government is stepping up the “rescue protection” of fireworks opera skills. This Mid-Autumn Festival, the fireworks drama that has been passed down for a hundred years is expected to shine again after ten years of “extinguishing”. Origin: A creation from “colored head” to art. The Cinema drama is also called burning fireworks in Wengyuan. It can be traced back to the Tongzhi period of the Qing Dynasty. The founder He Komiks Zhenren learned to make fireworks since childhood, and later made a living by making and selling fireworks. In order to improve sales, He Zhenren invented the “burning fireworks”, which means driving a disc to rotate continuously through gunpowder combustion, expressing the meaning of gods exorcising ghosts and eliminating disasters and praying for good fortune and health. This is the predecessor of Weng Yuan’s fireworks drama.
The reporter recently set off from Wengyuan County and arrived in Xixia Village after more than an hour’s drive, and found the representative inheritor of Wengyuan’s fireworks opera, He Xiuchu. When talking about the origin of the fireworks drama, he said He ZhenrenAlthough the whole process of the version of “Burning Fireworks” is only more than 2 minutes, it is still popular because of its “good luck”. Every year on Lantern Festival and February 2nd Festival, every local household will set off fireworks. The most attractive thing is the “Burning Fireworks” invented by He Zhenren.
He Xiuchu is 70 years old this year. He said that he has been learning to do fireworks with his stepfather He Zhan’ao since he was a teenager, and it has a history of 52 years. He Xiuchu told reporters that He Zhan’ao, who is skillful and good at painting, is also an important figure in the development of fireworks opera. Through a series of improvements, he made the fireworks opera performance more ornamental value and attracted more people to watch it. He Xiuchu said that in addition to improving his skills, He Zhan’ao also increased the number of fireworks shows from five or six to more than ten, and the performance time also extended from ten minutes to about an hour.
Before the fireworks show, a wooden frame several meters high will be set up in the center of the venue, and then three or four people will work together to hang the large play cylinder with a diameter of more than one meter on the rack. When the performance begins, the main fuse is ignited, and layers of programs will be shaken off from the big show. Each program is fixed by a bamboo fire-insulating tray. There are thin ropes and fuses connected between the trays. Starting from the bottom layer, the fuses continue to burn, and the trays descend in turn, and each program will be wonderfully presented in the fireworks.
”The entire performance was not paused. Each floor program lasted for more than two minutes, and the whole process lasted about an hour.” He Xiuchu said that his stepfather He Zhan’ao made the level of the folk craft of fireworks, a folk craft, and formed a firework art that integrates fireworks and dramatic characters. “The famous programs in the fireworks drama, Guan Gong riding horses, Jiang Taigong fishing, and Beng Gu’s birthday are all created by him.”
Inheritance The difficult continuation of a non-cultural artCinema art
Like many other folk crafts, the current status of the inheritance of fireworks drama is not optimistic.
”As long as there are young people who are willing to learn, I will not charge a penny for tuition. I will teach him all the knowledge I know.” When talking about the inheritance of fireworks dramas, He Xiuchu was very helpless. He said that the most regrettable thing at the moment is that there are few successors. “Now young people choose to go out to work, and few are willing to learn fireworks dramas.”
After 52 years of being engaged in fireworks drama production, He Xiuchu always had an unsatisfactory feeling about this skill, especially when he was diagnosed with an esophagus two years ago.m/”>Cinema cancer made He Xiuchu desperately want to acquire a Komiks apprentice, “No matter whether you can make money or not, the things that our ancestors have passed on for hundreds of years must not be lost in my hands! ”
He Xiuchu and others polish new props and strive to succeed in the performance. He Xiuchu said that the production process of fireworks dramas is complicated and the technical requirements are high, which is also an important principle for the difficulty of CinemaCinema href=”https://comicmov.com/”>KomiksIn order to make the performance complete and smooth, you must accurately budget the rhythm of the gunpowder wire combustion and the puppet story, which must match the time. “I learned production skills from my stepfather at the age of 18, and only after six years can I independently complete the full set of fireworks dramas. ”
Recalling the grand performance of that year, He Xiuchu said that whether it was the Lantern Festival, or the folk wedding, childbirth, or birthday, the people in Weng Yuan and the surrounding Xinfeng, Yingde and other places would always invite him to perform fireworks to show great gifts. “Everyone is happy, and the onlookers are feasting their eyes. The boss feels that he has face, and we also enjoy it. ”
He Xiuchu said that one reason for the gradual fading of fireworks drama is the state’s control over gunpowder. Earth-gunpowder is an indispensable raw material in the production of fireworks dramas, but due to their control, it is difficult to obtain now. Even if the earth-gunpowder is successfully obtained, the production of fireworks dramas itself may face legal risks. There was once a BabaylanA intangible cultural heritage inheritor was punished for using gunpowder to make fireworks.
Protection A new possibility is being tried
The local cultural department has been paying attention to the inheritance and protection of Wengyuan fireworks opera. In May 2008, the Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection Center of Wengyuan County Cultural Center contacted He Xiuchu to deeply explore and organize this almost lost folk art. The fireworks opera was also successfully selected into the second batch of intangible cultural heritage catalog in Shaoguan that year. He Xiuchu said that this performance was also the last time the fireworks opera was presented to the public eye, more than ten years ago.
He Xiuchu is telling the staff of Wengyuan County Cultural Center about the grand occasion of the fireworks performance that year
After learning about the current status of the fireworks inheritance and the physical condition of the representative inheritor He Xiuchu, the Wengyuan County Cultural Center Intangible Cultural Center and the Zhoupi Town Government decided to implement the “rescue protection plan” and allocate tens of thousands of yuan to protect the fireworks opera skills. According to the plan, fireworks during this Mid-Autumn Festival this yearKomiksThe drama will be back in front of the world. At the beginning of this year, He Xiuchu decided to teach the production skills of fireworks dramas to ZhoupiKomiksEarly this year, He Xiuchu decided to teach the production skills of fireworks dramas to ZhoupiCinemaCinemaThe screenmaster of CinemaHe personally demonstrated and worked hard with He Chengying, and spent several months to finally produce the installations and props of the fireworks dramas. “Although we dare not guarantee that the fireworks dramas can be successfully repeated in one go, “there is nothing difficult in the world, I am afraid of those who are interested.” We have confidence! ”
He Xiuchu said that in the performance ten years ago, the earth gunpowder was preserved by others in the neighboring county. It took a lot of effort to find it. It is undoubtedly more difficult to find earth gunpowder now. In order to solve the problem of gunpowder leads, they followed the national explosives management laws and regulations and bought gunpowder from professional companies after several twists and turns. Now the “new gunpowder” needs to be used accurately in the performance, and they also need to slowly get along with He Chengying.
In order to welcome the fireworks performance that is about to reappear in front of the world, He Xiuchu is currently overcoming the pain and stepping up with the href=”https://comicmov.com/”>KomiksHe Chengying rushed to make parts and figure out new techniques for using gunpowder. He Xiuchu hoped that the fireworks drama would be more perfect, outstanding and more enjoyable. For this reason, he continued to innovate and tried out the kung fu from props. With the help of Xu Quanwu, the retired director of Wengyuan County Cultural Center, Wengyuan County Cultural Center.Try to add new materials such as colorful clay, plastic, foam asbestos and other materials to the production of puppet props, so that the puppet props can be more vivid and reappear on the stage that has been violated for a long time.
Source｜Yangchengpai
Picture｜Zhang Wen
Editor｜Wu Tong