Research On The Inheritance Groups Above The Inheritance Stage Of Jingzhou Flower Drum Opera

Based on folk singing forms,such as three-stick drum,walk on stilts,lotus gathering boat as well as Yugu Daoqing,Jingzhou Flower Drum Opera is a local traditional Chinese opera formed by absorbing the plays,tunes and performance of other dramas.From the Qing Emperor Daoguang's Reign to the foundation of the nation,it has gone through the development history from popular country tune to“big show" and from“obscene play”to serious drama.With authentic Tianmian accent as the language tone,varieties of tunes for each drama as its artistic characteristics and nature of grass roots close to Jianghan Plain as its cultural features,Jingzhou Flower Drum Opera is taking root deeply in the vast land of Jianghan Plain,thus becoming the "national play" as well as mental nourishment for local people.Besides,it has become an important element of intangible cultural heritage in Hubei Province.Most skill-related intangible cultural heritages are mainly inherited by mentoring the skills.Different from those,drama-related intangible cultural heritages,including Jingzhou Flower Drum Opera,cover both the inheriting method mentioned above,and the opera shows,through.which the publicity of the drama is realized,thus transforming into a more comprehensive social existence.In this sense,show or performance is inheritance.Through troupe performance and audience watching,opera will form a vast grand stage for inheritance,on which various inheritance groups will liven up.They perform their role functions as their own roles,and fulfill the inheritance of opera-related intangible cultural heritage(towards the same goal despite of different routes).On the inheritance stage of Jingzhou Flower Drum Opera,there are four most important inheritance groups,namely "inheritors of intangible cultural heritage" selected by officials,professional troupes within the system,folk grass roots troupes as well as theatre fan&amateur performers.Despite of the difference of existing in the system or being folk grass roots,being professionals,amateurs or even fanciers,it cannot be denied that their actions are inheriting the opera-related intangible cultural heritage,while the heritages thereof are indeed inherited through varied activities.Inheritors of intangible cultural heritages are a number of artists with wide social identification and deep artistic attainments.They are aware of their roles and responsibilities,and try hard to make efforts for the inheritance of Jingzhou Flower Drum Opera.However,during the inheritance practice,there are limited roles and responsibilities for the inheritors thereof.Most of them have retired and are in advanced ages.Despite of the title "inheritors",they have limited influence on the troupe.Besides,there is widespread feeling of being at a loss among them,for that there are no files or rules specifying "their responsibilities or assigned tasks".Moreover,in practice,some of their suggestions can hardly be valued.In some sense,so-called inheritor of intangible cultural heritage is more an honorary title.Professional troupes are known as the battle position for the inheritance of Jingzhou Flower Drum Opera.Speaking of the role,the professional troupes aim mainly at advertising Socialist Spiritual Civilization and Socialist Main Theme,thus serving the ideology of superstructure.Generally,this function has never changed since the foundation of the country.In the inheritance of Jingzhou Flower Drum Opera,professional troupes have positive effects with their high artistic accomplishment as well as superior stare setting,thereby expanding the influence of the opera.However,over the past twenty years,great changes have taken place in the "economic foundation,system conditions as well as social environment relating to the survival&development of show business”.As a result,“disadvantages of the old system for state-owned literature and art troupes have been increasingly exposed",about which professional troupes of Jingzhou Flower Drum Opera share the same situation with other state-owned art troupes.For those troupes,lack of vitality,people are aged with fewer showings so that the troupes cannot survive without the support of national finance.In this sense,the troupes mentioned are "in disconformity with the increasingly improved socialist market economy system,the ever-increasing spiritual&cultural demands for the masses as well as the strategic target that promotes great development and prosperity of the socialist culture".Thus,the inheritance function of professional troupes for Jingzhou Flower Drum Opera is greatly restricted.Privately operated opera troupes have extensive power in Jianghan plain.They do not rely on fiscal appropriation from the government;instead,with the rural country as the stage and farmers as audiences,they are self-reliant,positive and initiative,and are trying to satisfy the buyer' s market to the greatest extent.Regardless of the performance sites,number of audience,accommodation conditions or performance time,they are penetrating into each comer of Jianghan plain with the uttermost efforts,thus promoting the extensive transmission of Jingzhou Flower Drum Opera in Jianghan plain,which cannot be matched by professional troupes.Jingzhou Flower Drum Opera has great market share.In order to fight for performing market,professional and privately operated troupes,relying on their advantages,compete fiercely with each other.During the competition,as a member within the system,professional troupes win the support of the government while "cultural capital as well as its holder out of the system",namely privately operated troupes are doubted for their legality.The competition of the two sides is in an unequal position,which“reflects the social resources and power structure".However,in the field of Jingzhou Flower Drum Opera,there is an invisible hand fighting against institutionalized system.Rooted in folk society,familiar with folk habits and embracing flexible business pattern,privately operated troupes are using those market economy laws as their competitive strategies so as to compete with professional troupes.The result is that there is no absolute winner.Besides inheritors of intangible cultural heritage,professional troupes as well as privately operated troupes,there is another active inheritance group in great quantity,namely opera fan as well as amateur performer.Their love for Jingzhou Flower Drum Opera is pure without any considerations for interests.Besides,they are conscious of inheriting the opera thereof.Through various activities,they scream for the opera and inheritance with great momentum.Moreover,they provide new thoughts,concepts and inspiration for the innovation of the opera.They are the seeds for the Flower Drum Opera scattered around every comer of Jianghan plain.From them,continuous power for the opera can be found.Based on solid empirical research,the following conclusions can be drawn:1)The saying—“inheritance crisis for Jingzhou Flower Drum Opera”shall not be generally concluded.Through the test for 200 or 300 years,Jingzhou Flower Drum Opera has been integrated into the daily life of people on Jianghan plain,and becoming one of the elements of their culture.As long as the people and the land exist,Flower Drum Opera will survive and be active among the folk society despite of the changes.2)Although Jingzhou Flower Drum Opera is full of vigor among the folk society and there is no crisis of extinction,there is indeed crisis of loss relating to its art essence,which is now the most pressing issue at the moment.For this issue,the value and meaning of those inheritors are highlighted.3)At the moment,selection of inheritors,in essence,is an embodiment of power institutionalization.It has determined the difference of capital distribution and participator status in the field,which is against the inheritance.Hence,the recognization mechanism of the inheritors mentioned have to be reformed,while more talents who have made contributions to those inheritors shall be brought into the system(approved by the governments at all levels)for protection.Meanwhile,the inheritance role of the inheritors shall be practically played,thus changing the inheritance efforts of the inheritors.4)In the current field of Jingzhou Flower Drum Opera,the will and relevant policies of cultural capital governors cannot fully comply with the rules and demands of the opera.Hence,concept has to be changed,and game rule has to be reformed.Moreover,all the practices and stipulations that restraining cultural development have to be abolished,and institutional disadvantages impeding cultural development have to be eliminated.Furthermore,capital within the field of Jingzhou Flower Drum Opera has to be reallocated,thus promoting healthier development and inheritance of the opera.