Meihu drama(眉户) is one of the major operas in Shaanxi Province and Gansu Province, one of the national intangible cultural heritage. Meihu drama mainly perform in the form of amateur group as there are few professional Meihu drama performance group. With the diversification of social change and entertainment, Meihu drama has smaller and smaller living space and it is now on the verge of extinction.
There is no accurate origin of Meihu Drama. According to different artists, there are different sayings.
One saying is that Meihu drama was originated from Mei County and Hu County. Both the Mei and Hu county was located in the foot of Qinling mountains and Mount Taibai where folk music was prevalent. Meihu drama was originated from these songs and it was called Qingqu tune in ancient times.
One saying is that Meihu drama was originated from a royal song in duke Mu of Qin. And it is famous for itseuphemistic tone and tune, popular and easy to understand words.
One says that it stems from Jinnan Puzhou, Linyi, linjin area. But what is certain is that Jinnan Meihu is evolved from Shaanxi Meihu. Its singing has Taibai folk song in Mei and Hu counties, and Huayin County folk songs and Jinnan folk tune.
Singing form
Singing form of Meihu drama can be divided s into two types:
One still reserve the form of stall folk singing. Its libretto mostly are the opera, such as the "female widow test fields", "city meeting," "Huanggu monk" and so on.
One is in the form of stage performances, their repertoire both as "anti-Harmony", "Flame horse" and other large play, there as "Zhang selling cloth", "two relatives fight," "Du Shi Niang" and other excerpts. There are monologue, singing and performances as it has freedom to choose tunes.
Meihu drama is similar to other folk literature and art, as in the old days they are in the state of fending for themselves in a state. According to the existing inscriptions and other information, people can infer that the latest Meihu drama began to sing in the territory of the Song Dynasty. According to memories of alive folk artists, in the late Qing Dynasty, Meihu drama flourished throughout the seven counties (districts). After 1949, with the popularity of Shaanxi opera and drama, though Meihu drama gone through the rise and fall, but dormant in general. But in inaccessible remote villages, Meihu drama is still loved folk art form of people. After entering the 1980s, Meihu drama and other folklore has been collected as folk cultural heritage.
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