Cixian drum

Cixian County in Handan is located in the south of Hebei Province, with fertile land, rich products and convenient transportation. It has been a battleground for military strategists since ancient times. As far back as 6,000 years ago, during the Yangshao culture period, people lived here, and there are still ancient cultural sites such as Xiaqiyuan Site in Shang Dynasty, Jiangwu Town in Warring States Period, ancient tombs in Eastern Wei and Southern and Northern Dynasties, and Cizhou Kiln Site in Song and Yuan Dynasties. According to historical records, the drum drum was produced in the Song Dynasty. However, according to the unearthed cultural relic "Drum Fighter" excavated from the ancient tomb in Cixian County, it is proved that the drum drum in Cixian County was produced in the Eastern Wei Dynasty in the Southern and Northern Dynasties. From the middle and late Qing Dynasty to the 1840s, it spread in southern Hebei and northern Henan, especially in Cixian County. The drum, also pronounced "stunned drum" and "beat drum", is the remains of folk dance in the Song Dynasty (China Dictionary of Traditional Opera and Quyi, P18). "Tiki Drum" has three meanings among the people, one refers to Tiki Drum, the other refers to Tiki Drum (music) and the third refers to Tiki Drum Band. When you refer to a band, you are called a drummer. Cixian drum has always been a colorful folk art treasure, which belongs to folk dance and percussion instruments. It originated from the form of war aid on the ancient battlefield, and then gradually evolved into a court entertainment. After it was introduced to the people, it was used to pray for rain and congratulate it, and then developed into a unique folk entertainment. The drum in Cixian County is 48 cm in diameter and about 20 cm in thickness. When performing, the drum is hung on the chest and hit with two mallets. Playing is more free, one person can solo, two people can knock, and everyone can beat together, and the drums are vigorous and intense, such as Ma Benteng, thunder and lightning, which is exciting. There were 72 sets of drum songs, and now more than 20 sets are kept. Cixian drum can be performed independently or with "running awl". According to Wei Shu, the "Wei Pu" in Houwanzhang Village, Cixian recorded 23 battle array methods, including Eight Diagrams Array, Nine Curves in a Chain, House of Flying Daggers, Iron Dragon Array, Four Doors Fighting, and One-word Long Snake. The main performance content was the ceremony of showing off soldiers and fighting, and the instrumental drums used were . In the early days of liberation, in order to pray for rain, there were drums in every village in Cixian County. After liberation, the drum team of Xingren Street in Cixian County launched various entertainment activities, performing for sending recruits, guests and the Spring Festival. During the Cultural Revolution, drums were banned and flourished after the Third Plenary Session of the Eleventh Central Committee. Influenced by various factors, there are fewer and fewer drum performances in Cixian County, which are on the verge of extinction.
Reprinted with attribution： https://cnlocality.com/(Chinese Specialty Products)