Weihai Folk Customs--Shidao Fishermen's Drums

Shidao Drums" is a distinctive form of artistic expression formed by coastal fishermen in their unique humanistic and historical environment and in the course of their long-term engagement in maritime production and life, with a wide range of mass and folk heritage.

"Shidao drum" is the fishermen's unique way of expression of the celebration, focusing on the full of fish and shrimp, fishing boats docked when people's mood of celebration. After breakfast on the first and fifteenth day of the first month of the year, the fishing villages as a unit, spontaneously formed a drum and gong team, starting from the villages, marching along the main street of Shidao, stretching all the way to the various fishing ports dock, and finally gathered in the Shidao town square, when the celebrations reached 0, the activity time generally lasts until noon.

"Shidao drums" in the Chinese folk music system belongs to the percussion category in the cluster of fixed-type gongs and drums. By hundreds of years ago, the single drum performance gradually developed into a multi-drum, team drums, clusters of square drum performance mode. According to the organization's theme requirements, single drums, several drums and square drums can also be performed. Up to nearly thirty square formations can be formed, the number of people up to more than 200 people.

"Shidao drum" command: the original command, is the main drum set of two cymbals for the command. With the expansion of the drum array and modern large-scale - performance needs, strengthened the prominence of the conductor and artistic modeling. Has evolved into the front of the command, the commanding hand stands in front of the array, with a variety of artistic techniques for professional command, making the large square array of gongs and drums performance more neat and specialized, with a more intense artistic expression.

The performance formation of "Shidao Drums" can be changed flexibly according to the environment of the venue, and the basic formation has a word long snake, triangle, square, arc, round and grouped in a variety of formations. The performance costumes can be made according to the requirements of the theme of the performance, wearing a variety of different styles of performance clothing. Usually there are national style, classical style, ancient generals style, fishing style, modern fashion style and so on.

"Shidao drum" performance of the basic set can be divided into four parts. The first part is called prelude long set, the second part is interlude 123, the third part of the repeated prelude long set, the fourth part is called colorful water bucket.

1, according to the classical music performance, the long set of starting point calm, soothing, rhythm is clear, is the whole tune of the opening part, showing the fishermen before the sea optimism and calm and people will win the faith of heaven, but also shows the sea calm and open to meet the fishermen pastoral cultivation of fish of the unity of man and nature scene.

2, after a winter of preparation, spirited fishermen sailed to the sea, into the fishing grounds, fishing nets catching fish and shrimp, at this time the drum beat is cheerful and high-pitched, a powerful expression of the intense sea operation scene. The drum tune absorbs the traditional three-step shelving percussion pattern of the Jiaodong Peninsula and even the northern region of China.

3. The third part is the repetition of the long set. The third part is a long set of repetitions. As a prelude to the repetitions, the rhythm changes from a tense 123 to a more soothing rhythm, showing a restful and soothing interval after the heated and tense sea work. The tempo and time can be shortened and extended and repeated at will according to the theme. In terms of artistic design and connotation, the first is to pave the way for the appearance of the fourth part of the colorful movement. The second is to increase the adaptability for the theme performance.

4, the fourth part of the colorful water bucket. Is the entire tune where the colorful movement. Its performance of the theme shows the fishermen in the wind and waves of the sea, the indomitable spirit of bravery. Starting with a weak beat, the rhythm is getting faster and faster, the drums are exciting and high-spirited, and the end stops, giving people ups and downs, unexpected artistic enjoyment, fully demonstrating that the fishermen are bold and careful, and people will win the heroic spirit of the sky.

5, the closing song.