History of the Zhou Family Suona

The first generation: Zhou culture (began to learn the art at the end of the Qing Dynasty)

The second generation: Zhou Huibang, Zhou Huairong (began to learn the art around 1910)

Toward the end of the Qing Dynasty, the Zhou family suona class in Yinji of Lingbi (also known as the Spinach Horns) began to be active in the vast rural areas of Suzhou, Lu and Anhui. The first generation of Zhou culture was born in Suining County, Jiangsu Province, Taoyuan Town, Wei Au Village, since childhood, due to family poverty, and people learn to play suona, and then fled Lingbi Yin set spinach forest village, the Republic of China period to the second generation of Zhou Huaibang, Zhou Huairong two sons to play suona to make a living, the official establishment of the Zhou family suona class, because at that time, Lingbi and the surrounding areas suona class development is rapid, and there are often townsmen and villagers in the wedding and funerals, suona class to please the lively business In order to stand firm in the many suona classes, the Zhou family practiced their skills and made up for their shortcomings, and gradually gained fame in the local area by competing in martial arts tournaments and other forms of competition in the countryside. By the time of the third generation of Zhou Zhengyu, Zhou Zhengmei, Zhou Zhenmin, and Zhou Liang, the team had already grown, and their fame in the Suzhou, Luwan, and other places was also growing, and there were often cases in which they couldn't find the Zhou family class to play, and the men didn't get married and the women didn't get married. The third generation: Zhou Zhengyu, Zhou Zhengmei, Zhou Zhengmin, Zhou Liang, Zhou Zhengjun, Zhou Xiaoshe, Zhou Zhengqun, Thursday, Friday, the representative Zhou Zhengyu is known as the "cover three provinces", "King of Horns", (began to learn the art around 1930)

The Third Generation The heir Zhou Zhengyu adhering to the talent and family tradition, eight years old to learn the art, twelve years old alone leader, he went outside to offer art to earn a living, while learning the art of hard work, winter practice Sanjiu, summer practice three volts, improve the oboe skills, known as "Gai Sanshou", "Horn King", The Zhou family suona was known as "Covering Three Provinces", "Horn King" and "Golden Horn". In the early period of liberation, Zhou family suona class was often invited by the county government to take part in the performance of sending new recruits, paying public grain, paying condolences to military families or repairing the Huaihe River and other water conservancy construction sites, and during this period, the Zhou family collected many suona enthusiasts from Shandong, Jiangsu, and the northern part of Anhui Province as their disciples, and taught them the playing skills. In the 1960s, Zhou Zhengyu into the Lingbi Sizhou opera troupe work, because of the famous blowing skills, in the early days of reform and opening up, Anhui Province, Anhui Province, Huangmei Opera School hired Suona teacher to disseminate skills, during this period of time, Zhou Zhengyu and China's famous Suona masters Liu Fenming, Liu Fengtong, Ren Tongxiang, HU Haiquan, Hao Yuqi, and other artists have dealings, they work together and learn from one another, and set the North and South Suona playing skills style, reform and innovation, making the Suona playing techniques and styles. They had exchanges with each other, and combined the skills and styles of suona playing from north and south, reformed and innovated, so that the skill of suona playing had reached the realm of pure perfection. He taught many students, and now there are many provincial troupes such as the Provincial Huangmei Opera School and the Bengbu Sizhou Opera Theater where his students have become leaders and backbones. Zhou Zhengyu returned to his hometown in his later years and continued to teach his skills until his death in 2004. He spent his whole life with the trumpet, often famously saying, "If the townspeople like it, I'll blow it hard". Fourth generation: Zhou Benxiang, Zhou Benling, Zhou Benming, Zhou Zhonghua, Zhou Benyin, Zhou Benjin, Zhou Benhua (female), Zhou Herb, Zhou Benfu, Zhou Benyu, Zhou Benzai, Zhou Haibo, Zhou Haitao, Zhou Haiyan (female), Zhou Haiqin (female), Zhou Jian and so on, representing Zhou Benxiang, Zhou Benling, Zhou Zhonghua. (Started learning the art around 1949)

The fourth generation of the Zhou family suona class has Zhou Benxiang, Zhou Benling, Zhou Benming, Zhou Benyin, Zhou Si Xin, Zhou Haibo, Zhou Zhonghua, Zhou Benfu, known as the "Eight Tigers of the Zhou Family", and Zhou Haiyan, Zhou Benhua, Zhou Haiqin and Zhou Herb are known as the "Four Flowers of Drums", which was the first time that Zhou family suona class had a suona class in this period. "During this period, Zhou family suona class had new innovations on the basis of inheriting traditions, and each of them had their own strengths and specialties. Such as Zhou Benxiang blowing Sizhou opera (click play), double pipe art is a masterpiece, the Zhou family especially on the copper suona, copper flute playing sound high but not dry, soft but not greasy, simple and natural tone, beautiful and beautiful, known as the "Golden Horn". Zhou Zhonghua, one of the eight tigers of the Zhou family (Zhou Zhengyu's fourth son), won the first prize at the age of eight in the province's children's musical instrument competition, and was admitted to the suona specialty of Anhui Art School, and was assigned to work in Maanshan Song and Dance Troupe after graduation, and served as suona soloist, ensemble, and repetitive performance, and won the first and second prizes at the provincial, municipal, and national instrumental competitions for many times.06 years, he traveled with the China Central Television to Austria to participate in the Chinese New Year gathering performance in Vienna, and 07 years, he was invited to play the Chinese New Year performance in Vienna. In 2006, he went to Austria with the CCTV to participate in the Chinese New Year Gathering in Vienna, in 2007, he went to Taiwan and Korea with the Maanshan City Cultural and Artistic Exchange Group for cultural exchange performances, and in 2008, he went to Japan with the Maanshan City Government Cultural Group of Anhui Province for the traditional Chinese and Japanese cultural exchange performances. Zhou Zhonghua and Zhou family suona class have been interviewed by the provincial TV station, Culture Weekly and Anhui radio station for many times. The Zhou family has recorded a series of tape albums such as "Wedding Song", "Drums and Music" and "Worshiping the Flower Hall". In recent years, more than ten people from the Zhou family suona class have been admitted to the Anhui Provincial Art School, Anhui Huangmei Opera School, and Shandong Yantai Art School, etc. Many of them have served as main soloists in various professional art groups in the province, city, and county, and one of them is Zhou Ming, who is the backbone of the Sizhou Opera Troupe in Lingbi County. Sixth generation: Zhou Wei, Zhou Quan, etc. (2000 to start learning)

The Zhou family suona class since its inception, has always been passed on but not lost, rise and fall, through the efforts of several generations, in the county and the surrounding areas and even in the Soviet Union, Shandong Province, Anhui Province and other places to enjoy a reputation, especially Shandong Province, Tai'erzhuang area, many people know of the Lingbi Zhou family suona class. Zhou family suona class from the second generation began to cover many provinces, cities and counties, for the active rural culture and entertainment has made a greater contribution. The development of the class has been inherited by the family for six generations, more than one hundred years of history. At present, the Zhou family has more than 100 musicians of all ages, and there are more than ten suona teams of the Zhou surname active in the whole county, which are the typical representatives of many suona teams in Lingbi. From the third generation of Zhou Zhengyu in the provincial Huangmei Opera Art School, to the fourth generation of Zhou Zhonghua with the CCTV went to Austria to participate in the Chinese New Year gathering performance in the Golden Hall in Vienna, so that this folk art can be carried forward, the Zhou family suona class playing skills not only to retain the tradition, but also continue to innovate, the skills are widely circulated, and made a contribution to China's national folk music.