Suzhou Pingtan Development
Background of Study
Suzhou Pingtan is a form of musical storytelling that originated in Suzhou at the end of the Ming dynasty (Shengman & Liang, 2018). Suzhou Pingtan enjoyed its golden age during the first sixty years of the twentieth century in the Southern Jiangsu and Northern Zhejiang (Zhang, 2017). It is based on two forms: Suzhou Pinghua and Suzhou Tanci (Webster-Cheng, 2009).
Pinghua evolved during the Tang and Song dynasties from unique ways of storytelling (Lixing, 2015). Pingtan performances involve vocal recitation without any singing (Po, 2015). The narrator primarily performs by holding a fan and a piece of wood while telling historical, legal, heroic, and epic tales (Bender, 1999). Pinghua evolved over the Tang and Song dynasties from unique ways of storytelling (Bender, 2003). There’s no music, and the performers only speak. The Tale of Yue Fei, the Gallant Heroes, the Water Line, the Seven Gallant Men, and the Five Heroes are the most famous tales (Hong, 2011).
On the other hand, Suzhou Tanci originated as a performance by a few singers and by one or two narrators. Besides, the actors often use “San Xian,” which is a three-stringed plucked instrument, and “Pipa,” which is a Chinese lute, as accompaniments when singing (Li-xing, 2010). Both are traditional Chinese musical instruments (He, 2011). The actors sing about various topics ranging from even in daily life to love affairs by using San Xian and Pipa (Shi, 2016).
Suzhou Pingtan can be summarized as “storytelling, joke-cracking, music playing, and aria singing” (Tang & Xue, 2019). “Storytelling” involves a narrator who narrates to the audience, “joke-cracking” means to make the audience laugh, “music playing” involves musicians playing with the instruments San Xian and Pipa while singing, and “aria singing” which calls for vocal performance (He, 2012). Among the four types, “storytelling” is the most captivating because it involves narrating, endorsement, illustration, and comment (He, 2012).
Pingtan artists typically perform long, heroic, and epic stories in different chapters (Jin, 2009). One chapter takes place several hours a day, and the whole story can last weeks (Jin, 2009). Stories of medium and shorter lengths are also available. In addition to the conventional literature themes, ‘Pingtan’ artists continue to compose new concepts closer to real-life (Jin, 2009).
Unfortunately, the traditional repertoire of Suzhou Pingtan. Was banned during the Cultural Revolution (Xue, 2019). However, Pingtan still enjoyed a special status as a preferred medium for singing poems by Mao Zedong, making Pingtan’s musical component known and appreciated throughout China, despite the dialectal barrier (Yu, 2010). Since the late 1970s, the traditional repertoire has been revived (Yu, 2010). With competition from new forms of entertainment, Pingtan artists are now trying various means to reach and attract audiences (Xue, 2019). There are currently around thirty-five Pingtan troupes in the region, performing both in traditional and non-traditional venues: Pingtan theatres (Shuchang), teahouses and restaurants, professional gala performances (Huishu), Pingtan societies (Shuhui), and radio and television broadcasts. The format of the performance varies in each of these venues (Fu & Huang, 2018).
Problem Statement
Nowadays, Suzhou is a kind of traditional performing arts that is not very popular with a few professional performers, as many of them are senior artists of the last century (Hao, 2007). Some viewers think some of the famous works are very dull, and the play’s rhythm is too slow (Xiaohai, 2016). People’s lives are fast, especially with the emergence of high technology such as radio and television; few can spare time to appreciate traditional arts (Fu & Huang, 2018). There are many other reasons for Suzhou Pingtan’s decline, including Pingtan artists (Zhou & Wu, 2016).
Besides, traditional Chinese opera communication channels, such as teahouses, radio, and art platforms, will no longer fulfill people’s spiritual needs in new media (Guo, 2019). Modern people are more willing to receive information through diverse channels such as the Internet, TV, films, and dramas to advance science and technology (Bin, 2015). Suzhou Pingtan has, for more than 400 years, been a unique heritage and must also keep pace with the times so that its impact can be further enhanced. It can be transmitted across the Internet and the robust dissemination of information (Ming, 2014).
The impact of the increasing diversification of modern social culture and foreign culture is the traditional culture has lost many audiences, particularly the loss of young audiences (Jun 2014). This is because they’re not willing to spend time on the slow-paced art of Pingtan. The twofold effects of the increasingly diversified social culture and foreign culture have lost many audiences in traditional culture, especially young people’s loss. They’re not prepared to spend time on Pingtan’s slow pace (Hong & Li, 2013). Suzhou Pingtan is on the National Intangible Cultural History List, protected by the state by several measures such as collecting, integrating, and reproducing threatened dramas of the folk (Cao & Liu, 2011). While many historical voices have remained in these steps, the production of Pingtan Art has not taken a positive position (Hao & Gan, 2009).
Bangsawan- Tan Sooi Beng
Margaret Kartomi
The Bangsawan Theater is Malaysia’s first famous urban commercial theatre (Tan, 1993). It was adapted from the Parsi Theater in India at the end of the 19th century, which toured Malaya (Tan, 1993). This is a traditional art with important national characteristics in Malaysia (Tan, 1993). It’s similar to Suzhou Pingtan in this respect (Tan, 1993). This research topic also explores the development and transformation of traditional art (Tan, 1993).
Anthropology of Music – Alan Merriam
Alan Merriam shows that music is a social behavior — a person worthy and available to study through anthropology methods (Merriam, 1977). It is convincingly argued that ethnomusicology, by definition, cannot separate the sound analysis of music from the cultural context of people who think, act, and create (Merriam, 1977). It is a comprehensive approach to music from an anthropology’s point of view (Merriam, 1977). The author maintains that ethnomusicology must not, by definition, separate the sound analysis of music from the cultural context of people who think, act, and create (Merriam, 1977). Review of music’s basic functions and any other facts about how music is used in society (Merriam, 1977).
Acculturation
Music elements of two or more cultures are blended – they change the music’s value and form. So far, it’s no longer unitary, but it can be combined with other types of music (List, 1964).
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