The Origin of Fujian Opera

Fujian Opera, also known as Fuzhou Opera, is the only existing opera that is sung and recited in Fuzhou dialect. Popular in central Fujian, eastern Fujian and northern Fujian, and spread to Taiwan Province Province and Southeast Asia. Yiyang dialect was introduced into central Fujian in the late Ming Dynasty, and gradually merged with local dialects and minor tunes to form Jianghu tune. Then Jianghu class sang Jianghu tune, and Pingjiang class sang Jianghu harmony songs. At the end of the Qing Dynasty, the Pinghua class merged with the old class that sang Kunqu Opera, Huizhou Opera and other foreign accents, as well as the Confucian class that sang Confucianism in Fuzhou, and finally formed Fujian Opera. After the Revolution of 1911, Fujian Opera entered a prosperous period, with many classes and clubs, and "four famous dances" such as Zheng, Zeng, Xue and Ma Difan emerged, which was known as "Mei Lanfang of Fujian Opera".

Fujian Opera, a traditional opera in China. Also known as Fuzhou Opera. Popular in central Fujian, eastern Fujian and northern Fujian counties. In the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, a folk opera was popular in Changle and Fuqing in central Fujian, which was sung by amateur farmers. People call it "underground lawn" and "pulling grass rope" because it is performed around the grass rope in the basement. This kind of performance was later combined with foreign troupe artists, with the "Jianghu tune" formed by Yiyang opera in Jiangxi and local folk songs as the main singing voice, which was called "Jianghu class". At that time, there were 36 plays and 72 plays, mostly from Yi and Kunqu. In the areas of Fu 'an and Ningde in the northeast of Fujian, there is also a "Pingjiang Class" ("Pingjiang Class" means singing in dialects) with "Jianghu" and "Ge Xiang" as the main vocals. Most of the plays performed are transplanted from Jianghu dramas or based on folk stories, such as Double Golden Flowers, White Fan and Red Skirt. Later, the "Jianghu Class" originally sung with "Andrew" (Putonghua) was changed to Pingyi (dialect) and gradually merged with Pingyi Class. At the same time, it absorbed part of the vocals of the "old class" (referring to foreign operas such as Kunqu Opera and Huizhou Opera, which are difficult for locals to understand), forming a combination of level and level. There is also a popular "Confucius Opera" in Fuzhou. Since the Ming Dynasty, the "funny tune" created by the combination of foreign tunes and folk songs has been the main singing style. During the Guangxu period of Qing Dynasty, there were 13 "Confucian Classrooms", which were popular for a while, and most of the scripts were written by literati, such as Purple Jade Hairpin and Sacrifice to the Emperor Hall. After the Revolution of 1911, the "Confucian class" gradually merged with the "flat class" and the "old class" to form the "Fujian Opera Class", which is today's Fujian Opera.