| Quyi | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traditional Chinese | 曲藝 | ||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 曲艺 | ||||||
| Literal meaning | melody art | ||||||
| |||||||
| Shuochang yishu | |||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 說唱藝術 | ||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 说唱艺术 | ||||||
| Literal meaning | speak sing art | ||||||
| |||||||
Quyi ("melodious art") andshuochang yishu ("speaking and singing art") are umbrella terms for over 300 regional genres of traditional Chinese oral performing arts.[1]Quyi is distinguished fromxiqu (Chinese opera) by its emphasis on narration, as opposed to acting, although they share many elements including the same traditional stories.Quyi artists generally wear no to little makeup. Musical instruments like drums, wooden clappers,pipa,yangqin, orsanxian are commonly seen inquyi, as arehand fans.[2]
While the storytelling art concept has been around for centuries, the narrative art concept was mostly recognized in the 1920s. Only after 1949 with the founding of thePeople's Republic of China did the termquyi become widely used. Prior to this, it was just classified asshuochang yishu.[1] This is one of the art category that gained momentum since theNew Culture Movement. With the exception of theCultural Revolution period, a great number of stories written for this art are preserved.[1]
The story is usually told by a small number of people. The most standard number is one or two, sometimes extending to four or more.Quyi is often accompanied by clappers, drums, or stringedinstruments, with the presenter wearing costumes at times. Unlike Chinese operas which has a fixed style for costume,quyi costumes vary depending on the era of the story plot. Costumes range from dynastic periodhanfu to the more modernqipao or evensuits.
The language used is usually associated with the spoken dialect of the local area. Sometimes it uses rhymed verse, sometimes in prose, and sometimes a combination. A lot of body movements may be used in the portrayal of the characters in the story. Each person may play multiple roles for multiple characters in the story.[1] It is also this local and regional feel for the art that some would classify it asChinese folk art.
Outside ofmainland China, this entertainment form is also found inTaiwan.
.jpg)
