A Study On The Art Of Modern Poyang Fishing

In the social and historical circumstances of modern industrial civilization,different cultures in the world are becoming increasingly similar, thus resulting in theserious phenomenon of cultural homogeneity. Many cultural patterns havedisappeared one by one and become almost extinct just as some species. As oldinheritors of non-material cultural heritage pass away one after another, and as variouscontemporary and foreign cultures step in, plenty of precious non-material culturallegacies have become strange to us, gradually disappearing from our sense ofaesthetics. Poyang Yugu Art, which this thesis explores, is precisely such a valuablecultural legacy which deserves immediate protection.This thesis consists of three parts: the introduction, the body, and the conclusion,its body divided into five chapters. Yugu Art originated in Tang Dynasty, took shapein Song Dynasty, and became popular in Ming Dynasty and Qing Dynasty. Since itsintroduction into Poyang at the end of Ming Dynasty and in the beginning of QingDynasty, and thanks to the inheritance and development of the art by generations ofartists, Yugu Art has evolved into a distinctive local folk art form called Poyang Yugu,which records progress and development of a local civilization. The first chapter dealswith the origin of Poyang Yugu and its evolution. Since its spread into Poyang, YuguArt has experienced long-term growth in the fertile land near Poyang Lake. Over thelast100years of its inheritance and development, owing to the innovative reform ofthe art by several generations of artists represented by Zhong Rigen, Zhou Tianrun,etc. Yugu Art has evolved into two artistic schools respectively known as “Er XiaXiang” and “San Xia Xiang”. The second chapter presents a study of the two artisticschools of Poyang Yugu Art and the pedigree of its inheritance in modern times.Based on the first-hand materials drawn from quite a few local field investigations,and by collecting, recording and reorganizing the existing materials concerning the art,this study explores and analyzes the typical features of Poyang Yugu music and itsperformance so as to provide convincing evidence for further research and to offertheoretical support for performance of the art and creation of its music. Chapter Three and Chapter Four analyze and discuss various instruments, types of subject matters,and features of lyrics, as well as singing styles for voices and types of music metres.These two chapters also make a study of the venues, costumes, procedures, posturesand techniques of performance of this local art. Poyang Yugu Art, as a cultural formof historical significance, has long existed as an art form,“which is devoid of writtenmusic, which has just followed local customs, which is passed down from mouth tomouth, and whose instruments become silent once their players breathe their last.” Itcalls for our immediate protection and innovative inheritance. Chapter Five is mainlyconcerned with the issue of protection and innovation of Poyang Yugu Art, discussingreasonable and scientific schemes for its protection so that this art may bring into playits own artistic and economic value.By adopting such research methods as conducting interviews, making fieldinvestigations, and doing qualitative and comparative analysis, and by utilizing thecollected valuable materials, this thesis presents an objective study of Poyang YuguArt in modern and current times in China, provides theoretical summaries about thisfolk musical art, and reveals its value in the process of its social development. Thethesis draws the following conclusions: Poyang Yugu Art is a precious legacy passeddown to us by our ancestors, and it is of permanent value to inherit and develop it as acultural inheritance. Nowadays, just like many other traditional folk arts, this preciousfolk art is on the verge of becoming extinct. Only by developing it in an innovativeway, can we effectively protect, inherit and carry it forward. It is sincerely hoped thatthis study can arouse more attention from scholars of cultural studies in our country tothis folk art so that they may attach more importance to it.