GUIDE OF VISIT
Chu Opera is one of the main local opera genres in Hubei Province, China, with unique artistic charm. Chu Opera originated in the Daoguang period of the Qing Dynasty, formed by the integration of the Ohhe腔 (Ohhe Tune) in eastern Hubei with folk songs from Huangpi and Xiaogan. Initially known as "Dengxi Opera" (Lantern Opera), it was officially named Chu Opera in 1926 and listed as a national intangible cultural heritage. Formerly called Huangxiao Huagu (Huangpi-Xiaogan Flower Drum) and Xilu Huagu (Western Route Flower Drum), it originated from folk songs and dances such as竹马 (bamboo horse dance) and高跷 (stilt walking) in the Huangpi-Xiaogan area, as well as the "Ohhe Tune" in eastern Hubei. During the Daoguang period, it evolved into an independent genre dominated by the "Daluoqiang Tune" (Gong-and-Drum Tune), later developing and being named Chu Opera.
Chu Opera
Performance Features
- Arias: Chu Opera has diverse arias, including Yaqiang (Welcome Tune), Xianqiang (Immortal Tune), Yingshanqiang (Yingshan Tune), etc. Yaqiang is the main aria, known for its simplicity, naturalness, and flexibility, capable of expressing various emotions according to different plots and characters.
- Performance Style: The performances are close to real life, simple and delicate, adept at using vivid colloquial lines and exaggerated movements to shape characters, full of rich life atmosphere and local characteristics.
Repertoire Types
Chu Opera covers a wide range of themes. There are short plays reflecting folk life, such as Ge Ma and Making Tofu, which are full of life humor and comedic elements. There are also major plays adapted from historical stories and legends, like Qin Xianglian and Wu Han Kills His Wife, which feature high ideological and artistic value.
Role Categories
The roles in Chu Opera are divided into three main categories: sheng (male roles), dan (female roles), and chou (comic roles). Sheng includes laosheng (elderly males) and xiaosheng (young males); dan includes zhengdan (decent females), huadan (vivacious young females), and laodan (elderly females); chou is divided into wenchou (scholarly clowns) and wuchou (martial clowns). Each category has unique performance characteristics and techniques.
Development Status
Chu Opera is deeply loved by the public in Hubei and continues to develop innovatively. Many Chu Opera performers, while inheriting traditions, have tried to incorporate modern elements into their performances and created new plays reflecting contemporary life, enabling this ancient art form to radiate new vitality in the new era.
- Ge Ma: A representative comic play of Chu Opera. It tells the story of Ge Ma, a farmhand, who cleverly helps his master’s daughter break off her engagement with her poor fiancé Zhang Hong and eventually促成 (facilitates) their marriage. Ge Ma’s vivid image—smart, upright, kind, and full of life wisdom—is beloved by audiences for his wonderful performances and humorous plot.
- Beating the Princess: This play features a dramatic plot about Princess Shengping, daughter of Emperor Daizong of the Tang Dynasty, who is married to Guo Ai, the seventh son of Prince Fenyang Guo Ziyi. When the princess refuses to pay respects to Guo Ziyi on his birthday, Guo Ai beats her in anger, triggering a court dispute. The couple eventually reconciles through the mediation of the emperor and empress. With distinct characters and splendid arias, the play showcases Chu Opera’s unique charm in depicting court-themed stories.