Chen Xiniang (first from right) performs a Hani multi-vocal folk song with villagers in a terraced field. People's Daily reporter Lei Yang photographed
Terraces in Azhike Village, Yuanyang County, Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province. Photo by Zhang Hongke (Image China)
"Don't dance music to make the grain is not full, don't dance music to make the village is not lively..." In the Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture in the southeast of Yunnan Province, the sea of clouds churns and swallows layers of terraces; in Luomo Village, Puchun Village Committee, Azhahe Township, Honghe County, the cheerful tunes of the ancient Hani song "Planting Rice Mountain Song" are lingering.
This small village, made up of more than a dozen families, is the hometown of Chen Xiniang, the representative inheritor of the multi-voice folk songs of the national intangible cultural heritage Hani ethnic group. He has two wishes: one is that the ancient song of Hani can be sung from generation to generation on the terraces; the other is that the "symphony" on the terraces can go out of the small village and go to the world.
Hanigu song accompanies the terraces
The blue sky is the scenery, the terraces are the platform, the mountain fog is the curtain, and in the long historical years, the Hani people have gradually formed a unique national culture of Hani ancient songs in the terraced labor, which has lasted for thousands of years. "Hani song and terraces go hand in hand, and for us, singing when we farm is like drinking water when we are thirsty." Chen Xiniang said.
However, the ancient songs of Hani are not recorded in writing, and they are passed on by word of mouth, and it is not easy to learn. "Half of you can learn to understand, half you can't understand, you have to rely on your own experience, hard scalp groping." Speaking of the experience of learning art, Chen Xiniang opened the conversation box.
Chen Xiniang is the eldest son in the family, when he was young, he followed the elders to plant seedlings in the terraces, got up in the morning, returned at dusk, and began to learn to sing Hani ancient songs during labor. "Hani's ancient songs contain all aspects of people's lives, singing whatever they think, originating from nature and life." On the field, you can always see a teenager humming a tune while doing farm work.
At the age of 17, Chen Xiniang chose to go to the natural village of Weili in Yuanyang County to worship the teacher, formally learn the hani multi-voice folk songs, and learned to become a teacher in 8 years. Today, he is proficient in the various techniques of blowing, pulling, playing and singing of Hani multi-voice folk songs, and is already a representative inheritor of the national intangible cultural heritage.
Through the singing, the audience can see the history and culture of the water and soil on one side, and can also see the bits and pieces of people's life and labor. "I want to be the inheritor of intangible cultural heritage, and it is my responsibility to keep singing the ancient songs of Hani." Now, Chen Xiniang's old house has become a cultural transmission hall in the village. Usually, he often communicates with the students here, and uses his own erhu to play Hani ancient songs.
10 people can sing 8 voices
"The sea of clouds rises in the terraces, floating up and down, like a melodious and gentle song, which makes people intoxicated." Spring, summer, autumn and winter, each season has a different beauty, the terraces give us unlimited inspiration to create songs, 'Heisa'-" When it comes to emotion, Chen Xiniang sang again.
Rich in content, diverse tunes, Hani ancient songs are closely related to terraced labor. "Every year at the seedling planting festival, if there are few people and there are few seedlings, we will sing in a high-pitched tone; if there are many people, we will combine the melodious and gentle tunes and contents into multiple voices." Chen Xiniang introduced.
In the 1980s, Hani's ancient song was gradually understood by more people, and Chen Xiniang also ushered in the opportunity to perform for the first time, "Our team of 4 people was invited to kunming to perform, and each person received a reward of 18 yuan. "10 people can sing 8 parts, and there are such beautiful songs!" The praise of the audience made Chen Xiniang's confidence double.
"We used to go on stage, our hands and feet were shaking and sweating, but now we're more comfortable performing." With the efforts of Chen Xiniang and other inheritors, from villages to towns, from Yunnan to Hainan, from China to overseas, Hani ancient songs are sung farther and farther, and the "symphony" on the terraces has a bigger stage.
In 2005, Chen Xiniang and her party of 10 people went to the Netherlands to participate in the performance, and the Hani multi-voice folk songs were displayed on the world stage. Chen Xiniang said: "Hani ancient song is a treasure that has been handed down from generation to generation, and now it can be spread overseas and let the world hear our songs, which is a very rare opportunity." ”
As the ancient song of Hani spread farther and farther, Lomo Village also welcomed many tourists and scholars who came to visit and study. "Sometimes when we were doing farm work, we would sing songs, and friends from other places would also participate and learn to sing Hanigu songs with us." Chen Xiniang said.
Feel life in song
The Spring Festival is approaching, Chen Xiniang's children Chen Xialing and Chen Shangfa are rehearsing Hani ancient songs with their partners.
"Nowadays, many local young people choose to go to other places to study or work, and fewer and fewer are willing to learn Hani ancient songs." If no one comes to pass it on, this national cultural heritage will be lost. Chen Xiniang was not without concern.
Hani multi-voice folk songs are composed of 8 voices, and at least 8 people can sing them. Under the influence of Chen Xiniang, his children also joined the team of inheritance, and all engaged in non-genetic inheritance work at the Honghe County Cultural Center. Whenever the sisters and brothers returned home, Chen Xiniang would take out the erhu and three strings and play the Ancient Hani Song with her children around the fire.
Nowadays, there are still many young people who come to Chen Xiniang to learn art, and his two apprentices, Che Keshan and Chen Ouduo, have become representative inheritors of provincial intangible cultural heritage, and have also trained 4 state-level inheritors, and Hani Guge has more people to inherit. Chen Xiniang said: "As long as someone is interested, I sincerely teach it, hoping that this traditional skill will be passed on from generation to generation." ”
"We would sing, dance, pull erhu, play three strings, and go to the mountains to perform impromptu duets. Chen Xiniang's teaching is not so much about imparting knowledge as it is about exchanging skills, feeling life and telling life in song.
"I also want to teach singing in schools so that students can experience and understand this intangible cultural heritage, so that they can better pass it on." Chen Xiniang realized that better inheritance needs to inject fresh blood, "I hope that the best state is that students and local villagers can become inheritors, so that Hani ancient songs can be passed on and developed well." ”
Draft: Zhang Fangman
People's Daily (2022-01-27 12th edition)