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117-440: Notable characteristics of Sichuan opera include quick changes of masks or personae (known as the face change) and the importance of the character of the fool. Initially, there were five distinct opera styles. The history of each style varies greatly. The origins of Sichuan opera can be traced back to the pre-Qin period. The Jiaodian opera of the later Han dynasty laid the foundation for the early Sichuan opera. A famous poem from

234-628: A limited engagement at Mayi involving the assassination of the Chanyu would throw the Xiongnu realm into chaos and benefit the Han. When this plot failed in 133 BC, Emperor Wu launched a series of massive military invasions into Xiongnu territory. The assault culminated in 119 BC at the Battle of Mobei , when Han commanders Huo Qubing ( d.  117 BC ) and Wei Qing ( d.  106 BC ) forced

351-629: A series of military campaigns to quell the Xiongnu. The Xiongnu were eventually defeated and forced to accept a status as Han vassals , and the Xiongnu confederation fragmented. The Han conquered the Hexi Corridor and Inner Asian territory of the Tarim Basin from the Xiongnu, helping to establish the Silk Road . The lands north of the Han's borders were later overrun by the nomadic Xianbei confederation. Emperor Wu also launched successful conquests in

468-595: A Greek sailor had visited. Emperor Zhang 's ( r.  75–88 AD ) reign came to be viewed by later Eastern Han scholars as the high point of the dynastic house. Subsequent reigns were increasingly marked by eunuch intervention in court politics and their involvement in the violent power struggles of the imperial consort clans . In 92 AD, with the aid of the eunuch Zheng Zhong ( d.  107 AD ), Emperor He ( r.  88–105 AD ) had Empress Dowager Dou ( d.  97 AD ) put under house arrest and her clan stripped of power. This

585-592: A TV series called Sichuan Plum Blossoms, which was shown throughout the province and all of China. In 1979, on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of National Day, Sichuan operas such as "Lying Tiger Order" and "Repair or Not Repair" were performed in Beijing and won awards. In 1980, the Art of Sichuan Opera, a quarterly opera magazine, was published. During the long-term development of Sichuan Opera, there were differences between regions in what voice styles were popular, as well as in

702-457: A change which debased the value of coinage. Although these reforms provoked considerable opposition, Wang's regime met its ultimate downfall with the massive floods of c.  3  AD and 11 AD. Gradual silt build-up in the Yellow River had raised its water level and overwhelmed the flood control works . The Yellow River split into two new branches: one emptying to the north and

819-445: A coalition of former officials and officers against Dong, who burned Luoyang to the ground and resettled the court at Chang'an in May 191 AD. Dong Zhuo later poisoned Emperor Shao. Dong was killed by his adopted son Lü Bu ( d.  198 AD ) in a plot hatched by Wang Yun ( d.  192 AD ). Emperor Xian fled from Chang'an in 195 AD to the ruins of Luoyang. Xian

936-484: A comrade replied: 'Whether backward or not is up to the 70 million people in Sichuan to answer and decide.' I think this comrade is very brave. Good answer! People like it. You don't like it. Who are you? Shanghai people love Pingtan, Huai Opera and Yue Opera. What do you want Beijing people to approve? Leaders may have preferences. Some love operas, some love paintings, and some love antiques. What does it matter? We saw

1053-416: A coup against the eunuchs Hou Lan ( d.  172 AD ), Cao Jie ( d.  181 AD ), and Wang Fu ( 王甫 ). When the plot was uncovered, the eunuchs arrested Empress Dowager Dou ( d.  172 AD ) and Chen Fan. General Zhang Huan ( 張奐 ) favoured the eunuchs. He and his troops confronted Dou Wu and his retainers at the palace gate where each side shouted accusations of treason against

1170-516: A descendant of Emperor Jing ( r.  157–141 BC ), attempted to restore the Han dynasty and occupied Chang'an as his capital. However, he was overwhelmed by the Red Eyebrow rebels who deposed, assassinated, and replaced him with the puppet monarch Liu Penzi . Gengshi's distant cousin Liu Xiu, known posthumously as Emperor Guangwu ( r.  25–57 AD ), after distinguishing himself at

1287-529: A long-term combination of the Sichuan dialect, folk music, Sichuan opera gongs, and drums. This gradually evolved into Sichuan singing characteristic of Kunqu— Sichuan Kun. In 1912, the Kunqu Opera troupe Shuyi Ban joined the Sanqing Association and Kunqu Opera became one of the five Sichuan opera tones. The Huqin voice, also known as "Sixianzi", got its name because it is mainly played by "Xiao Hu Qin". It

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1404-659: A number of limited institutional innovations. To finance its military campaigns and the settlement of newly conquered frontier territories, the Han government nationalised private salt and iron industries in 117 BC, creating government monopolies that were later repealed during the Eastern period. There were significant advances in science and technology during the Han period, including the emergence of papermaking , rudders for steering ships, negative numbers in mathematics , raised-relief maps , hydraulic -powered armillary spheres for astronomy , and seismometers that discerned

1521-561: A request by Kushan ruler Vima Kadphises ( r.   c.  90  – c.  100 AD –  ) for a marriage alliance with the Han was rejected in AD ;90, he sent his forces to Wakhan (modern-day Afghanistan) to attack Ban Chao. The conflict ended with the Kushans withdrawing because of lack of supplies. In AD 91, the office of Protector General of the Western Regions

1638-428: A series of reforms that limited the power of these kingdoms in 145, dividing their former territories into new commanderies under central control. Kings were no longer able to appoint their own staff; this duty was assumed by the imperial court. Kings became nominal heads of their fiefs and collected a portion of tax revenues as their personal incomes. The kingdoms were never entirely abolished and existed throughout

1755-556: A small gong and an instrument called a Guqin , which is similar to the Erhu . The traditional formula can be quite systematic, and may include a combination of stunts— such as Bian Lian , Tihuiyan , sword-hiding, fire-spitting and beards changing with the plot and different characters. The character of the fool , or uncouth bumpkin, is significantly more prominent in Sichuan opera than in other forms of Chinese opera. Fool characters appear in guises including Mangpao (the emperor's attendant),

1872-479: A state pension and a territorial fiefdom . Holders of the rank immediately below, that of ordinary marquess, received a pension, but had no territorial rule. Scholar-bureaucrats who served in government belonged to the wider commoner social class and were ranked just below nobles in social prestige. The highest government officials could be enfeoffed as marquesses. Qiu Jin (film) Qiu Jin ( Chinese : 秋瑾 ), also known as Qiu Jin: A Revolutionary ,

1989-915: A stir in Nanjing , which formed a competitive situation with the Southern Opera. At the end of the Ming dynasty and the beginning of the Qing dynasty , the population of Sichuan dropped sharply. Immigrants from various parts of China moved into Sichuan, which is known as Huguang-filling Sichuan. Immigrants brought many different styles of opera from their hometowns. This resulted in styles of opera from both northern and southern dialects spreading throughout Sichuan successively. In its long-term development and evolution, based on Sichuan Lantern Opera, Sichuan Opera integrated with other dialects, such as Gaoqiang Opera , Kunqu Opera , Huqin , and Tanqiang Opera . Sichuan opera also merged with

2106-536: A strong atmosphere. In mass performances of Sichuan Opera, the content of the drama is based on life, and the humorous words are said to often cause the audience to cheer and laugh repeatedly. Gongs and drums play an important role in Sichuan opera music, which not only accompany the opera but also directly express the thoughts and feelings of the characters in the opera. Small drums, Canggu, large gongs, large cymbals, and small gongs are commonly used, and collectively called "five squares". Together with strings and Suona ,

2223-545: A successful overthrow of her regime to enthrone Emperor Shun of Han ( r.  125–144 AD ). Yan was placed under house arrest, her relatives were either killed or exiled, and her eunuch allies were slaughtered. The regent Liang Ji ( d.  159 AD ), brother of Empress Liang Na ( d.  150 AD ), had the brother-in-law of Consort Deng Mengnü ( d.  165 AD ) killed after Deng Mengnü resisted Liang Ji's attempts to control her. Afterward, Emperor Huan employed eunuchs to depose Liang Ji, who

2340-639: A system of full-time female voices helping personnel. At the same time, troupes also made innovations in singing and accompaniment. In Zhou Enlai 's "Speech at the Symposium on Literary Work and the Conference on the Creation of Feature Films" (19 June 1961), he said: "I saw the material in Sichuan . A vice minister of culture went to Sichuan and said: 'Sichuan opera is backward'. Offended the people of Sichuan. At that time,

2457-474: A war to determine who would have hegemony over China, which had fissured into Eighteen Kingdoms , each claiming allegiance to either Xiang Yu or Liu Bang. Although Xiang Yu proved to be an effective commander, Liu Bang defeated him at the Battle of Gaixia (202 BC) in modern-day Anhui . Liu Bang assumed the title of Emperor at the urging of his followers and is known posthumously as Emperor Gaozu ( r.  202–195 BC ). Chang'an (modern Xi'an)

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2574-429: Is a 1983 Chinese biographical film co-written and directed by Xie Jin , starring Li Xiuming as the revolutionary Qiu Jin . The film also features Li Zhiyu, Chen Xiguang, Yu Shizhi, Wang Fuli, Huang Meiying, Cong Shan, Zhang Kezhong, Wu Wenlun, and Shi Weijian in supporting performances. The film based on the real life of Qiu Jin, focusing on her efforts in the 1900s to overthrow the corruption Qing Empire . The film

2691-462: Is a colorful facial makeup that indicates a clear loyalty and treachery. Black represents fortitude and integrity, white represents treachery and cruelty, red represents loyalty and courage, green represents chivalry and righteousness, blue represents firmness and determination, yellow represents cruelty and tyranny, and a gold and silver face represents holiness and majesty. There are many kinds of costumes in Sichuan opera, depicting characters such as:

2808-612: Is an accepted version of this page The Han dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China (202 BC – 9 AD, 25–220 AD) established by Liu Bang and ruled by the House of Liu. The dynasty was preceded by the short-lived Qin dynasty (221–206 BC) and a warring interregnum known as the Chu–Han Contention (206–202 BC), and it was succeeded by the Three Kingdoms period (220–280 AD). The dynasty

2925-437: Is called "Tian Ping", showing the feeling of joy and elation. One is called Kuping, which expresses sad and bitter feelings. The plate has "yizi", "erliu", "sanban", "duoban", "daoban" and so on. Also known as Dengxi or Lantern theatre, Dengdiao is derived from the folk Lantern Festival custom, as well as folk song, dance, and music in Sichuan. The main voice is the accompaniment of folk ditties, also known as "pangtongtong". In

3042-574: Is centered in Zigong City, and includes both Zigong and Neijiang county. The standard tone is the Zi Chinese dialect. It is dominated by Gaoqiang opera, and is considered to have the most careful artistic style. The North Sichuan River School is centered in Nanchong County and Santai County. The school includes parts of Nanchong, Mianyang, and Guangyuan . It has no standard tone. However, based on

3159-533: Is deeply loved by the Sichuan people. It combines with the Sichuan dialect , local Yangko rap, and other folk arts to enrich its expressive force and form its own unique style. During the first year of the Republic of China, the Gaoqiang Opera troupe, banquet, music troupe, and other opera groups formed the "Sanqinghui". Gaoqiang Opera gradually became the main voice of Sichuan Opera. Kunqiang, or Chuan Kun, refers to

3276-573: Is developed from the Hui tune and Han tune and absorbs the components of Shaanxi Hanzhong Erhuang. It is also complete with Xipi and Erhuang, but it is distinct in areas such as tone, style, and passing through the door. It is also sung in the Sichuan dialect. Huqin tune became popular in Sichuan during the reign of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing dynasty. Later, it was gradually adapted into the "Sichuan-style" by combining it with Sichuan dialect and music— especially through

3393-529: Is greatly influenced by Han Opera and Peking Opera . The language used is diverse, but is usually mixed with Wuhan dialect and Peking Opera based on Chongqing dialect. Huqin is also characteristic of this school. Sichuan opera is notable for its quick changes of masks and personae, referred to as the face change. Clown facial makeup is painted on the bridge of the nose in a white square. Makeup used can vary among both positive and negative characters. Yu Zhuang in harmony; Pure Angle, also known as "Flower face",

3510-486: Is now northern Sichuan and southern Shaanxi , was not quelled until 215 AD. Zhang Jue's massive rebellion across eight provinces was annihilated by Han forces within a year; however, the following decades saw much smaller recurrent uprisings. Although the Yellow Turbans were defeated, many generals appointed during the crisis never disbanded their assembled militias and used these troops to amass power outside of

3627-589: Is recorded in the Weilüe and Book of Later Han to have reached the court of Emperor Huan of Han ( r.  146–168 AD ) in AD 166, yet Rafe de Crespigny asserts that this was most likely a group of Roman merchants . In addition to Roman glasswares and coins found in China, Roman medallions from the reign of Antoninus Pius and his adopted son Marcus Aurelius have been found at Óc Eo in Vietnam. This

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3744-880: Is represented by the four major volumes of "Chun Qiu Pei", "Mei Jiang Xian", "Hua Tian Cuo" and "kujiezhuan". Huqin repertoires mostly perform the stories of the Three Kingdoms and other countries. The "Huangben" written by Huang Ji'an, a writer in the late Qing dynasty, are the most famous, and include stories such as: "Qing Ling Tai", "San Fa Song", "Shen Nong Jian", "Shen Ji Ping", "Chai Shi Jie", " San Jin Zhong", "Mian Zhu Guan", and "Jiang You Guan." There are not many repertoires of Kunqu opera. The most popular stories include: "Yi Jian Xian Jian", "Dong Chuang Xiu Ben", "Zui Zao", "Zui Da", "Zhui Ma", "He Fan", and "Dao Hui." The repertoire of lantern opera includes "Ping Zhang Nian", "Bai Xin Nian", "Da Mian Gang", "Wu Zi Gao Mu", "Cai Yi" and so on. Among

3861-496: Is unique. Its percussion music is intended to be especially exciting. Sichuan opera gongs and drums are especially revered due to their strong sound, clear and changeable rhythm, and unique timbre. The wind and percussion music of Sichuan opera is also among the most important content in Sichuan opera. There are many suona tunes, gongs, and drum sets. Sichuan opera silk and bamboo music is often played with huqin and flute tunes. In terms of use, Kunqiang uses Qudi and Huqin tunes. Both

3978-627: Is varied and rich. There is a saying that "three thousand in the Tang dynasty, eight hundred in the Song dynasty, and countless countries". There are more than 100 repertoires on the stage. Among them, there are many relics from the Song and Yuan Southern Operas, Yuan Zaju, Ming Legends, and many classic operas of ancient vocal operas, as well as Bashu literati such as Zhao Xi , Huang Ji'an, Yin Zhongxi, Liu Huaixu, Ran Qiaozi, Zhao Xunbo, Xu Wenyao, Wu Boqi, Li Mingzhang, For

4095-526: The Battle of Kunyang in 23 AD, was urged to succeed Gengshi as emperor. Under Guangwu's rule, the Han Empire was restored. Guangwu made Luoyang his capital in 25 AD, and by 27 his officers Deng Yu and Feng Yi had forced the Red Eyebrows to surrender and executed their leaders for treason . From 26 until 36 AD, Emperor Guangwu had to wage war against other regional warlords who claimed

4212-462: The Battle of Zhizhi , in modern Taraz , Kazakhstan. In 121 BC, Han forces expelled the Xiongnu from a vast territory spanning the Hexi Corridor to Lop Nur . They repelled a joint Xiongnu- Qiang invasion of this northwestern territory in 111 BC. In that same year, the Han court established four new frontier commanderies in this region to consolidate their control: Jiuquan , Zhangyi , Dunhuang , and Wuwei . The majority of people on

4329-715: The Buyeo Kingdom in Manchuria to the Ili River of the Wusun people. The Xianbei reached their apogee under Tanshihuai ( d.  AD 181 ), who consistently defeated Chinese armies. However, Tanshihuai's confederation disintegrated after his death. Ban Chao ( d.  AD 102 ) enlisted the aid of the Kushan Empire , which controlled territory across South and Central Asia, to subdue Kashgar and its ally Sogdiana. When

4446-733: The Chu–Han Contention , the resulting Han dynasty was named after the Hanzhong fief. China's first imperial dynasty was the Qin dynasty (221–207 BC). The Qin united the Chinese Warring States by conquest, but their regime became unstable after the death of the first emperor Qin Shi Huang . Within four years, the dynasty's authority had collapsed in a rebellion. Two former rebel leaders, Xiang Yu ( d.  202 BC ) of Chu and Liu Bang ( d.  195 BC ) of Han , engaged in

4563-678: The Greco-Bactrian Kingdom ); he also gathered information on Shendu (the Indus River valley) and Anxi (the Parthian Empire ). All of these countries eventually received Han embassies. These connections marked the beginning of the Silk Road trade network that extended to the Roman Empire , bringing goods like Chinese silk and Roman glasswares between the two. From c.  115 BC until c.  60 BC , Han forces fought

4680-543: The Kunqu opera of Sichuan Opera. This evolved from the Kunqu opera of Jiangsu Province. Jiangsu's Kunqu Opera (shortened as Sukun) flowed into Sichuan in the late Ming dynasty. After the Qing dynasty , as a large number of government officials and celebrities immigrated to Sichuan, Kunqu became popular with their families, and Kunqu also entered Sichuan. When Kun Opera arrived in Sichuan, it retained its original tunes, but in order to meet

4797-445: The Qupai frequently, so that the help, playing, and singing are closely combined. Singing alternates between the recitative and aria, which allows the accompaniment and singing to enhance each other. In addition, the accompaniment of gongs and drums can make the atmosphere of the stage change infinitely. The most distinctive feature of Gaoqiang music is its tone. In the past, Sichuan Opera

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4914-566: The Warring States period , " Song Yu Asks the King of Chu ", states: "they are Xialiba people, and there are thousands of people in the country who belong to harmony". The term "Xialiba people" here refers to Sichuan folk songs and dances, as well as singers and dancers. According to the records of the Taiping Guang Ji and Tares History Compilation, there was a play of Bullfighting since Li Bing

5031-613: The Xiongnu , who were estranged from Han until their leader Bi ( 比 ), a rival claimant to the throne against his cousin Punu ( 蒲奴 ), submitted to Han as a tributary vassal in AD 50. This created two rival Xiongnu states: the Southern Xiongnu led by Bi, an ally of Han, and the Northern Xiongnu led by Punu, an enemy of Han. During the turbulent reign of Wang Mang, China lost control over

5148-565: The Yellow Turban Rebellion and Five Pecks of Rice Rebellion in 184 AD, largely because the court did not want to continue to alienate a significant portion of the gentry class who might otherwise join the rebellions. The Yellow Turbans and Five-Pecks-of-Rice adherents belonged to two different hierarchical Taoist religious societies led by faith healers Zhang Jue ( d.  184 AD ) and Zhang Lu ( d.  216 AD ), respectively. Zhang Lu's rebellion, in what

5265-606: The Yongzheng Emperor two years (1724), Chengdu has Gaoqiang opera troupe "old Qinghua class". During the reign of the Qianlong Emperor in the Qing dynasty, Gaoqiang opera, then called " Qing Opera ", was introduced to Sichuan. Gaoqiang is a form of folk singing, which does not use strings, but instead sings in a more colloquial style. It has a large number of Qupai and is complemented by percussion music (consisting of gongs and drums). It has distinctive characteristics and

5382-524: The cosmology of later scholars such as Dong Zhongshu . The Han dynasty oversaw periods of economic prosperity as well as significant growth in the money economy that had first been established during the Zhou dynasty ( c.  1050  – 256 BC). The coinage minted by the central government in 119 BC remained the standard in China until the Tang dynasty (618–907 AD). The period saw

5499-419: The " Cultural Revolution ", Sichuan opera was quickly revived. The Cultural Bureau of Sichuan Province announced the opening of traditional operas in batches while holding literary and artistic arrangements to promote creation and performance. Sichuan Opera School was restored, Sichuan Opera Art Research Institute was established, and Sichuan Opera Theater and other units were rebuilt. Emei Film Studio produced

5616-445: The " Han people " or "Han Chinese". The spoken Chinese and written Chinese are referred to respectively as the "Han language" and " Han characters ". The Han emperor was at the pinnacle of Han society and culture . He presided over the Han government but shared power with both the nobility and the appointed ministers who came largely from the scholarly gentry class . The Han Empire

5733-440: The " anaconda ", "Dependent child", " Official clothing", and "Pleated child." Depending on the style, face paint is also limited compared to other related forms. Jing characters do not appear, and the only painted face characters are those with a small white patch in the middle of the face, which indicates a slightly evil character. The face paint colors are traditionally limited to black, red, white, and grey. Sichuan opera music

5850-480: The "Sanqing Hui" after consultation, so that the five kinds of voice could be integrated into one. "Sanqing Hui" had notable actors such as Kang Zilin, Xiao Kaicheng, Tang Guangti, Tang Deyi, Zhou Mingchao, Liu Zhimei, and Lei Zhejiang. It also advocated for the reform of opera. While inheriting and preserving the traditional Sichuan opera, it created fashion shows that were more relevant to the contemporary era, such as The Story of Qiu Jin , The Recovery of Wuchang , and

5967-475: The "six squares" are conducted by small drums. During singing, gongs and drums run through it, so that singing, acting, reading, and playing can be organically combined, forming a unique style of Sichuan Opera. At the same time, the gongs and drums of Sichuan Opera play a special role in the performance art as a whole. There are about 300 gongs and music pieces alone. In Sichuan opera, gongs and drums are often used as sound effects. The sound of rowing, gurgling water,

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6084-448: The Han as equal partners in a royal marriage alliance, but the Han were forced to send large amounts of tribute items such as silk clothes, food, and wine to the Xiongnu. Despite the tribute and negotiation between Laoshang Chanyu ( r.  174–160 BC ) and Emperor Wen ( r.  180–157 BC ) to reopen border markets, many of the Chanyu 's subordinates chose not to obey

6201-689: The Imperial University on a dubious charge of treason. In 167 AD, the Grand Commandant Dou Wu ( d.  168 AD ) convinced his son-in-law, Emperor Huan, to release them. However, the emperor permanently barred Li Ying and his associates from serving in office, marking the beginning of the Partisan Prohibitions . Following Huan's death, Dou Wu and the Grand Tutor Chen Fan ( d.  168 AD ) attempted

6318-811: The Queen of the West. The establishment of "Sanqing Hui" promoted the development of Sichuan opera from square art to theater art, and the artistic level and cultural taste of Sichuan opera rapidly evolved, becoming the most influential local opera in southwest China . In 1952, the Sichuan Opera delegation organized a large performance group to attend the first National Opera Viewing and performance Conference in Beijing . Several plays and performances, including The Willow Shadow , Autumn River , Snow Review , and Trace , Farewell, Brother Wutaihui , won awards. Innovations were made in

6435-664: The Sichuan dialect, folk customs , folk music , and dance . This gradually established a formal style of Sichuan opera a voice art with Sichuan characteristics. Following the Xuantong era, the 1911 revolution led to the proclamation of the Republic of China (1912–1949) and the dissolution of the monarchy. Inspired by these revolutionary trends of thought, the lead singer Gaoqiang opera troupe banquet music, as well as Changle , Binle , Cui Hua , Taihong , and Shuyi — who mainly sang Kunqu opera , playing opera and Hu qin— voluntarily formed

6552-666: The Tarim Basin, which was conquered by the Northern Xiongnu in AD 63 and used as a base to invade the Hexi Corridor in Gansu . Dou Gu ( d.  88 AD ) defeated the Northern Xiongnu at the Battle of Yiwulu in AD 73, evicting them from Turpan and chasing them as far as Lake Barkol before establishing a garrison at Hami. After the new Protector General of the Western Regions Chen Mu ( d.  AD 75 )

6669-476: The Western Sichuan School, Ziyang River School, Northern Sichuan School, and Eastern Sichuan School, which are called the "four rivers" in the circle of Sichuan Opera. Like in several other folk arts, there is no standard tone in Sichuan Opera. Additionally, each of the "four rivers" has its own cultural center . The four river schools of Sichuan Opera can be divided into the western Sichuan Ba School ,

6786-963: The Xianfeng and Tongzhi years, Fu Sangan and Huang Jinfeng in the Guangxu and Xuantong years, Yang Sultan and Yang Sulan in the late Qing dynasty and the early Republic of China. Kang Zilin, Tang Guangti, Huanhuaxian, etc., Xiao Kaicheng, Tian Lai, Cao Junchen, Yan Bingzhang, etc. during the Republic of China. After the Republic, there was the older generation, such as Jia Peizhi, Zhang Decheng, Zhou Haibin, Zhou Mulan, Wu Xiaolei, etc.; The middle-aged generation includes Liu Chengji, Zhou Yuxiang, Zhou Qihe, Chen Quanbo, Yang Youhe, Xue Yanqiu, Jiang Shangfeng, Yuan Yukun, Zeng Ronghua, and so on. The young generation includes Chen Shufang, Jing Hua, Yang Shuying, Xu Qianyun, Situ Huicong, Li Xiaofei, Xie Ping 'an, etc.; Rising stars include Zhao Youyu, Lan Guang Lin, Zhang Qiaofeng, Liu Shiyu, and others. Han dynasty#Eastern Han This

6903-508: The Xiongnu court to flee north of the Gobi Desert , and Han forces reached as far north as Lake Baikal . After Wu's reign, Han forces continued to fight the Xiongnu. The Xiongnu leader Huhanye ( r.  58–31 BC ) finally submitted to the Han as a tributary vassal in 51 BC. Huhanye's rival claimant to the throne, Zhizhi Chanyu ( r.  56–36 BC ), was killed by Han forces under Chen Tang and Gan Yanshou ( 甘延壽 ) at

7020-476: The Xiongnu over control of the oasis city-states in the Tarim Basin. The Han was eventually victorious and established the Protectorate of the Western Regions in 60 BC, which dealt with the region's defence and foreign affairs. The Han also expanded southward . The naval conquest of Nanyue in 111 BC expanded the Han realm into what are now modern Guangdong , Guangxi , and northern Vietnam. Yunnan

7137-536: The Yuan brothers, Zhang committed suicide by jumping into the Yellow River. General Dong Zhuo ( d.  192 AD ) found the young emperor and his brother wandering in the countryside. He escorted them safely back to the capital and was made Minister of Works , taking control of Luoyang and forcing Yuan Shao to flee. After Dong Zhuo demoted Emperor Shao and promoted his brother Liu Xie as Emperor Xian, Yuan Shao led

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7254-406: The Ziyang River School, the North Sichuan River School, and the Xiachuandong School. The western Sichuan Ba School is centered in Chengdu and Wenjiang County , and includes the Bazi counties in western Sichuan. The actors use the Chinese Chengdu dialect without the Meihua sound. It is dominated by Gaoqiang opera and lantern opera, which has resulted in a unique "Ba tune". The Ziyang River school

7371-440: The aspect of voice cavity, especially in regards to the high voice cavity. Female voices would lead cavity, help cavity, choose a beautiful tone actress who was good at singing as a lead cavity, and help cavity personnel. Along these lines, there were other experiments— such as female actors helping with female voices, male actors helping with male voices, and male and female voices helping with combined voices. Each troupe also set up

7488-412: The capital was moved eastward to Luoyang. The era from his reign until the fall of Han is known as the Eastern Han or Later Han (25–220 AD). The Eastern Han ( traditional Chinese : 東漢 ; simplified Chinese : 东汉 ; pinyin : Dōnghàn ), also known as the Later Han ( 後漢 ; 后汉 ; Hòuhàn ), formally began on 5 August AD 25, when Liu Xiu became Emperor Guangwu of Han . During

7605-491: The cardinal direction of distant earthquakes by use of inverted pendulums . The Han dynasty had many conflicts with the Xiongnu , a nomadic confederation centred in the eastern Eurasian steppe . The Xiongnu defeated the Han in 200 BC , prompting the Han to appease the Xiongnu with a policy of marriage alliance and payments of tribute, though the Xiongnu continued to raid the Han's northern borders. Han policy changed in 133 BC, under Emperor Wu , when Han forces began

7722-434: The collapsing imperial authority. General-in-chief He Jin ( d.  189 AD ), half-brother to Empress He ( d.  189 AD ), plotted with Yuan Shao ( d.  202 AD ) to overthrow the eunuchs by having several generals march to the outskirts of the capital. There, in a written petition to Empress He, they demanded the eunuchs' execution. After a period of hesitation, Empress He consented. When

7839-405: The differentiation of n/l and f/h in the Nanchong dialect, it appears to be influenced more by the Qinqiang dialect, with Multi-lining characters and heavy nasal tones. The school mainly focuses on singing and playing opera, and has primarily been influenced by Qin Opera. The Xiachuandong School, or the Eastern Sichuan school, is centered in Chongqing and includes the eastern Sichuan area. It

7956-415: The earliest troupe in the history of Chinese opera, consisting of Qian Manchuan , Bai Jia , Ye Si , Zhang Mei and Zhang Ao in "Youyang Zazu", was formed. In the Song and Yuan dynasties, Southern opera and Szechuan Zaju were popular in Sichuan. The most famous song from this period was "Jiu Se Cai Qi". Jin Guanger's class of " Sichuan Opera " in the Ming dynasty once went to Jiangsu and caused

8073-490: The emperor was often a minor, ruled over by a regent such as the empress dowager or one of her male relatives. Ranked immediately below the emperor were the kings who were of the same Liu family clan. The rest of society, including nobles lower than kings and all commoners excluding slaves, belonged to one of twenty ranks ( ershi gongcheng 二十公乘 ). Each successive rank gave its holder greater pensions and legal privileges. The highest rank, of full marquess , came with

8190-419: The empire . The Han dynasty came to an end in 220 AD when Cao Pi , king of Wei , usurped the throne from Emperor Xian . According to the Records of the Grand Historian , after the collapse of the Qin dynasty the hegemon Xiang Yu appointed Liu Bang as prince of the small fief of Hanzhong , named after its location on the Han River (in modern southwest Shaanxi ). Following Liu Bang's victory in

8307-431: The empresses and empresses dowager . Imperial authority was also seriously challenged by large Taoist religious societies which instigated the Yellow Turban Rebellion and the Five Pecks of Rice Rebellion . Following the death of Emperor Ling ( r.  168–189 AD ), the palace eunuchs were massacred by military officers, allowing members of the aristocracy and military governors to become warlords and divide

8424-633: The eunuchs discovered this, however, they had her brother He Miao ( 何苗 ) rescind the order. The eunuchs assassinated He Jin on 22 September 189. Yuan Shao then besieged Luoyang's Northern Palace while his brother Yuan Shu ( d.  199 AD ) besieged the Southern Palace. On September 25 both palaces were breached and approximately two thousand eunuchs were killed. Zhang Rang had previously fled with Emperor Shao ( r.  189 AD ) and his brother Liu Xie—the future Emperor Xian of Han ( r.  189–220 AD ). While being pursued by

8541-427: The family inheritance. His brothers Yuan Shang and Yuan Xi were killed in 207 AD by Gongsun Kang ( d.  221 AD ), who sent their heads to Cao Cao. After Cao's defeat at the naval Battle of Red Cliffs in 208 AD, China was divided into three spheres of influence, with Cao Cao dominating the north, Sun Quan (182–252 AD) dominating the south, and Liu Bei (161–223 AD) dominating

8658-422: The fool in mandarin's clothes, the playboy fool, the dirty and disheveled fool, the old-fashioned fool, and the thief fool. The thief fool is one of the most popular character archetypes in Sichuan opera. Gaoqiang is the most distinctive and representative form of Sichuan opera. Its main characteristics are its free line and free singing style. There is no accompaniment, and only a clapper and drum are used to adjust

8775-473: The form. However, because the music is relatively short (usually only four or six sentences), when singing, a piece of music (section) is mostly repeated with several different lyrics. The main accompaniment instrument is the "datongtong Huqin ", which has a thick and short rod, a large tube, and a slight "om" sound. Later, string instruments such as the Sichuan Erhu were added The repertoire of Sichuan opera

8892-601: The frontier were soldiers. On occasion, the court forcibly moved peasant farmers to new frontier settlements, along with government-owned slaves and convicts who performed hard labour. The court also encouraged commoners, such as farmers, merchants, landowners, and hired labourers, to voluntarily migrate to the frontier. Even before the Han's expansion into Central Asia, diplomat Zhang Qian 's travels from 139 to 125 BC had established Chinese contacts with many surrounding civilizations. Zhang encountered Dayuan ( Fergana ), Kangju ( Sogdiana ), and Daxia ( Bactria , formerly

9009-483: The gongs and drums used in Sichuan opera as well as other tones. First, it was performed in the form of "two cooking POTS" and "three cooking POTS". In the first year of the Republic of China, the Huqin Opera troupe officially joined the "Sanqing Association" and became the Sichuan opera of the five-tone Republic. Also known as "Chuan Bangzi" or "Gai Banzi", Tanxi is a variation of Qinqiang in Sichuan. The Qinqiang Opera

9126-483: The huqin and its cover are used, and the accompaniment of "minus" is used for the lantern show. The music styles are diverse and feature a variety of artistic characteristics. Gaoqiang is the most distinctive and representative form of Sichuan opera. Its main characteristics are a free line and free singing style. There is no accompaniment, and only a clapper and drum are used to adjust the rhythm of Gaoqiang. The percussion music uses large gongs and drums. These run through

9243-404: The needs of Sichuan audiences, the opera changed to the Sichuan dialect , which became Sichuan Kun. Combined with Gaoqiang, Huqin , Tanxi, and other tones as well as Sichuan opera gongs and drums, it was performed in the form of group tunes of "two and three groans", also known as "Kuntouzi". At the same time, it is customary to dissolve the blow tone into Kunqu's tone. Kunqu Opera is the result of

9360-456: The nobility, Wang Mang claimed on 10 January that the divine Mandate of Heaven called for the end of the Han dynasty and the beginning of his own: the Xin dynasty (9–23 AD). Wang Mang initiated a series of major reforms that were ultimately unsuccessful. These reforms included outlawing slavery, nationalizing and equally distributing land between households, and introducing new currencies,

9477-666: The other to the south of the Shandong Peninsula , though Han engineers managed to dam the southern branch by 70 AD. The flood dislodged thousands of peasant farmers, many of whom joined roving bandit and rebel groups such as the Red Eyebrows to survive. Wang Mang's armies were incapable of quelling these enlarged rebel groups. Eventually, an insurgent mob forced their way into the Weiyang Palace and killed Wang Mang. The Gengshi Emperor ( r.  23–25 AD ),

9594-560: The other. When the retainers gradually deserted Dou Wu, he was forced to commit suicide. Under Emperor Ling ( r.  168–189 AD ) the eunuchs had the partisan prohibitions renewed and expanded, while also auctioning off top government offices. Many affairs of state were entrusted to the eunuchs Zhao Zhong ( d.  189 AD ) and Zhang Rang ( d.  189 AD ) while Emperor Ling spent much of his time roleplaying with concubines and participating in military parades. The Partisan Prohibitions were repealed during

9711-810: The outstanding contributions of Wei Minglun, Xu Fen, and others. After 1949, 321 repertoires were identified and 116 repertoires were compiled and published. Among them, "The Story of the Willow Shade", "The Story of the Caillou", "Yu Zan Ji", "La Lang Pei", "Mandarin Ducks", "The Royal River Bridge", "The Adventure of Master Qiao", "The Story of Burning Incense", "The Legend of Fu Nu" ", "Jinshan Temple" and others have been well received by audiences within China and abroad. There are also many historical story dramas and modern dramas compiled and performed, such as "Marriage", "Husband and Wife Bridge", "Wangniangtan", "Ding Youjun" compiled by

9828-506: The play say good, not necessarily good, our words are unreliable, everyone has their hobbies, how can as a standard? Art is to be approved by the people. As long as people like it, it has value." During the " Cultural Revolution ", more than 100 Sichuan opera troupes were disbanded, and a large number of famous actors, directors, writers, and artists were treated as "Devils, ghosts, snakes and gods", expelled, or transferred to "Reform through labor teams". Some were even persecuted to death. After

9945-518: The process of its development, it absorbed the North and South ditties and developed from the custom of the Lantern Festival to be performed all year round. Dengdiao music is generally relatively short, with a distinctive rhythm, and bright melody. It is intended to have a relaxed and lively feeling, as well as long performance with witty comedy scenes. In the use of Dengdiao, Qu Pai is also used to connect

10062-512: The relationships between artists and their teachers. Due to this, several schools of Sichuan Opera were formed. These include: the Huanxian (Huaxian) school, Chouxing Fu (Sangan) School, Cao (Junchen, Wusheng) school, and the Wuzhou (Wuchou) school. These are is sometimes praised as the "King Cao" schools, due to the percieved superior quality of its artists. At the same time, there are four schools, namely

10179-584: The remainder of Western and Eastern Han. To the north of China proper , the nomadic Xiongnu chieftain Modu Chanyu ( r.  209–174 BC ) conquered various tribes inhabiting the eastern portion of the Eurasian Steppe . By the end of his reign, he controlled the Inner Asian regions of Manchuria , Mongolia , and the Tarim Basin , subjugating over twenty states east of Samarkand . Emperor Gaozu

10296-443: The rhythm of Gaoqiang. The percussion music uses big gongs and drums , which run through the Qupai so that the help, playing, and singing are closely combined. In the singing process, the recitative and aria are used alternately, and the accompaniment and singing enhance each other. In addition, the accompaniment of gongs and drums can make the atmosphere of the stage change significantly. Gaoqiang from Jiangxi Yiyang tune development,

10413-407: The rushing ocean, the whispering wind and rain, and the thudding sound of moving heavy objects can all be vividly expressed. Overall the art form is well known for its singing, which is less constrained than that of the more popular Beijing opera form. Sichuan opera is more like a play than other forms of Chinese opera, and the acting is highly polished. The music accompanying Sichuan opera utilizes

10530-599: The salt and iron monopolies were eventually abolished in the early Eastern Han. The issuing of coinage remained a central government monopoly throughout the rest of the Han dynasty. The government monopolies were eventually repealed when a political faction known as the Reformists gained greater influence in the court. The Reformists opposed the Modernist faction that had dominated court politics in Emperor Wu's reign and during

10647-475: The south , annexing Nanyue in 111 BC and Dian in 109 BC . He further expanded Han territory into the northern Korean Peninsula , where Han forces conquered Gojoseon and established the Xuantu and Lelang commanderies in 108 BC. After 92 AD, palace eunuchs increasingly involved themselves in the dynasty's court politics, engaging in violent power struggles between various consort clans of

10764-479: The subsequent regency of Huo Guang ( d.  68 BC ). The Modernists argued for an aggressive and expansionary foreign policy supported by revenues from heavy government intervention in the private economy. The Reformists, however, overturned these policies, favouring a cautious, non-expansionary approach to foreign policy, frugal budget reform, and lower tax-rates imposed on private entrepreneurs. Wang Zhengjun (71 BC – 13 AD)

10881-455: The title of emperor; when these warlords were defeated, China reunified under the Han. The period between the foundation of the Han dynasty and Wang Mang's reign is known as the Western Han ( 西漢 ; 西汉 ; Xīhàn ) or Former Han ( 前漢 ; 前汉 ; Qiánhàn ) (206 BC – 9 AD). During this period the capital was at Chang'an (modern Xi'an ). From the reign of Guangwu

10998-466: The treaty and periodically raided Han territories south of the Great Wall for additional goods. In a court conference assembled by Emperor Wu ( r.  141–87 BC ) in 135 BC, the majority consensus of the ministers was to retain the heqin agreement. Emperor Wu accepted this, despite continuing Xiongnu raids. However, a court conference the following year convinced the majority that

11115-506: The war with Chu, Emperor Gaozu enfeoffed some of them as kings. By 196, the Han court had replaced all of these kings with royal Liu family members, with the lone exception of Changsha . The loyalty of non-relatives to the emperor was questioned, and after several insurrections by Han kings—with the largest being the Rebellion of the Seven States in 154—the imperial court began enacting

11232-483: The west. Cao Cao died in March 220 AD. By December his son Cao Pi (187–226 AD) had Emperor Xian relinquish the throne to him and is known posthumously as Emperor Wen of Wei . This formally ended the Han dynasty and initiated an age of conflict between the Three Kingdoms : Cao Wei , Eastern Wu , and Shu Han . In the hierarchical social order, the emperor was at the apex of Han society and government. However,

11349-411: The widespread rebellion against Wang Mang , the state of Goguryeo was free to raid Han's Korean commanderies ; Han did not reaffirm its control over the region until AD 30. The Trưng Sisters of Vietnam rebelled against Han in AD 40. Their rebellion was crushed by Han general Ma Yuan ( d.  AD 49 ) in a campaign from AD 42 to 43. Wang Mang renewed hostilities against

11466-479: The works of literati, Zhao Xi's "Qing Tan", Ran Qiaozi's "Dao Wu Bi" and Yin Zhongxi's "Li Yan Ai." The roles in the drama are called trades in Sichuan Opera. The roles of Sichuan Opera are divided into six categories: sheng , dan , jing , mo, chou , and za. Since the Qing dynasty, innumerable Sichuan opera performing artists have emerged, such as Wei Changsheng in the Qianlong period, Xiao Xiating and Yue Chun in

11583-500: The writer Li Mingzhang, and "Red Rhododendron" and "Yibin Baimao" written by other playwrights. Female", "Xu Yunfeng", "Jiang Jie", "Jiang Lang Da Xin", "Yi Bold", "Four Girls" are also included. The legacy of the Gaoqiang style is the largest, and the artistic features are also the most prominent, such as in the "Five Robes", "Four Pillars", and "Jiang Hu Shi Ba Ben". The repertoire of Tanxi

11700-438: Was appointed regent as Marshall of State on 16 August under Emperor Ping ( r.   1 BC – 6 AD). When Ping died on 3 February 6 AD, Ruzi Ying ( d.  25 AD ) was chosen as the heir and Wang Mang was appointed to serve as acting emperor for the child. Wang promised to relinquish his control to Liu Ying once he came of age. Despite this promise, and against protest and revolts from

11817-627: Was briefly interrupted by the Xin dynasty (9–23 AD) established by the usurping regent Wang Mang , and is thus separated into two periods—the Western Han (202 BC – 9 AD) and the Eastern Han (25–220 AD). Spanning over four centuries, the Han dynasty is considered a golden age in Chinese history , and had a permanent impact on Chinese identity in later periods. The majority ethnic group of modern China refer to themselves as

11934-889: Was brought into the Han realm with the conquest of the Dian Kingdom in 109 BC, followed by parts of the Korean Peninsula with the Han conquest of Gojoseon and establishment of the Xuantu and Lelang commanderies in 108 BC. The first nationwide census in Chinese history was taken in 2 AD; the Han's total population was registered as comprising 57,671,400 individuals across 12,366,470 households. To pay for his military campaigns and colonial expansion, Emperor Wu nationalised several private industries. He created central government monopolies administered largely by former merchants . These monopolies included salt, iron, and liquor production, as well as bronze coinage . The liquor monopoly lasted only from 98 to 81 BC, and

12051-546: Was chosen as the new capital of the reunified empire under Han. At the beginning of the Western Han ( traditional Chinese : 西漢 ; simplified Chinese : 西汉 ; pinyin : Xīhàn ), also known as the Former Han ( 前漢 ; 前汉 ; Qiánhàn ), thirteen centrally-controlled commanderies —including the capital region—existed in the western third of the empire, while the eastern two-thirds were divided into ten semi-autonomous kingdoms . To placate his prominent commanders from

12168-490: Was convinced by the accusations of the eunuchs Li Run ( 李閏 ) and Jiang Jing ( 江京 ) that Deng and her family had planned to depose him. An dismissed Deng's clan members from office, exiled them, and forced many to commit suicide. After An's death, his wife, Empress Dowager Yan ( d.  126 AD ) placed the child Marquess of Beixiang on the throne in an attempt to retain power within her family. However, palace eunuch Sun Cheng ( d.  132 AD ) masterminded

12285-442: Was divided into areas directly controlled by the central government called commanderies , as well as a number of semi-autonomous kingdoms . These kingdoms gradually lost all vestiges of their independence, particularly following the Rebellion of the Seven States . From the reign of Emperor Wu ( r.  141–87 BC ) onward, the Chinese court officially sponsored Confucianism in education and court politics, synthesized with

12402-480: Was first empress, then empress dowager , and finally grand empress dowager during the reigns of the Emperors Yuan ( r.  49–33 BC ), Cheng ( r.  33–7 BC ), and Ai ( r.  7–1 BC ), respectively. During this time, a succession of her male relatives held the title of regent. Following the death of Ai, Wang Zhengjun's nephew Wang Mang (45 BC – 23 AD)

12519-469: Was gradually combined with Huqin, Gaoqiang, and other tones, as well as Sichuan opera gongs and drums, or performed in groups. Many Sichuan opera plays are mainly performed by playing opera, which is also integrated into Huqin and Deng. After the establishment of the "Sanqing Hui", the opera troupe Taihong joined the league, and the opera became an integral part of the five tones of Sichuan Opera. Tanxi includes two kinds of tunes with very different emotions: one

12636-446: Was in revenge for Dou's purging of the clan of his natural mother— Consort Liang —and then concealing her identity from him. After Emperor He's death, his wife Empress Deng Sui ( d.  121 AD ) managed state affairs as the regent empress dowager during a turbulent financial crisis and widespread Qiang rebellion that lasted from 107 to 118 AD. When Empress Dowager Deng died, Emperor An ( r.  106–125 AD )

12753-448: Was introduced into Sichuan earlier. One theory is that Li Zicheng and Zhang Xianzhong introduced it when they entered Sichuan in the late Ming and early Qing Dynasties. Another theory involes the reign of Kangxi in the Qing dynasty. During the evolution of Qin Opera in Sichuan, Shaanxi Opera was first changed into Sichuan Opera to adapt to the habits of Sichuan audiences. At the same time, it

12870-625: Was killed by allies of the Xiongnu in Karasahr and Kucha , the garrison at Hami was withdrawn. At the Battle of Ikh Bayan in AD 89, Dou Xian ( d.  AD 92 ) defeated the Northern Xiongnu chanyu who then retreated into the Altai Mountains . After the Northern Xiongnu fled into the Ili River valley in AD 91, the nomadic Xianbei occupied the area from the borders of

12987-459: Was mainly assisted by drum masters and other musicians. In recent decades, it has been equipped with a female chorus intended to have a better voice. This can set the tone, describe the environment, create the stage atmosphere, remind the audience of the inner feelings of the characters, and represent the evaluation of the third party on the characters. The language of Sichuan opera is intended to be lively, humorous, full of vivid local flavor, and with

13104-642: Was near the commandery of Rinan where Chinese sources claim the Romans first landed, as well as embassies from Tianzhu in northern India in 159 and 161. Óc Eo is also thought to be the port city " Cattigara " described by Ptolemy in his Geography ( c.  150 AD ) as lying east of the Golden Chersonese ( Malay Peninsula ) along the Magnus Sinus (i.e. the Gulf of Thailand and South China Sea ), where

13221-450: Was persuaded by Cao Cao (155–220 AD), then Governor of Yan Province in modern western Shandong and eastern Henan , to move the capital to Xuchang in 196 AD. Yuan Shao challenged Cao Cao for control over the emperor. Yuan's power was greatly diminished after Cao defeated him at the Battle of Guandu in 200 AD. After Yuan died, Cao killed Yuan Shao's son Yuan Tan (173–205 AD), who had fought with his brothers over

13338-649: Was reinstated when it was bestowed on Ban Chao. Foreign travellers to the Eastern Han empire included Buddhist monks who translated works into Chinese , such as An Shigao from Parthia, and Lokaksema from Kushan-era Gandhara . In addition to tributary relations with the Kushans, the Han empire received gifts from sovereigns in the Parthian Empire , as well as from kings in modern Burma and Japan . He also initiated an unsuccessful mission to Rome in AD 97 with Gan Ying as emissary. A Roman embassy of Emperor Marcus Aurelius ( r.  161–180 AD )

13455-563: Was the governor of Shu County in the 3rd Century BC. During the Three Kingdoms period , the first satirical comedy appeared in Sichuan . This can be regarded as the originator of Sichuan opera comedy. Between the Tang dynasty and the Five Dynasties , the popular drama of Sichuan reached its peak. This was sometimes referred to as an example of "Shu skills leading the world". Frequently performed plays in this period included Liu Bijimai , Maixiu Liangqi and Guankou God. During this period,

13572-413: Was then forced to commit suicide. Students from the imperial university organized a widespread student protest against the eunuchs of Emperor Huan's court. Huan further alienated the bureaucracy when he initiated grandiose construction projects and hosted thousands of concubines in his harem at a time of economic crisis. Palace eunuchs imprisoned the official Li Ying ( 李膺 ) and his associates from

13689-399: Was troubled about the abundant Han-manufactured iron weapons traded to the Xiongnu along the northern borders, and he established a trade embargo against the group. In retaliation, the Xiongnu invaded what is now Shanxi , where they defeated the Han forces at Baideng in 200 BC. After negotiations, the heqin agreement in 198 BC nominally held the leaders of the Xiongnu and

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