As one of the major traditional dramas of Jiangsu Province, Liuqin drama has a history of over 200 years. During the whole development process, it has melted the local folk music and the drama music from neighboring areas, gradually formed its own complete singing system with very rich contents and is meaningful, resounding and gorgeous.
It has been greatly popular among people owing to its irresistible charming in singing, and has been called as “irresistible singing” in the folk all the way. In the 1950’s, it was formally named as “Liuqin drama” owing to its main accompanying musical instrument “Liuyeqin (a willowleaf shaped music instrument).
As a traditional musical instrument, Liuyeqin belongs to plucked stringed instrument of pipa type. The performance way is similar to that of pipa, and it is played by the right hand only. Liuyeqin musical instrument is generally used for drama accompaniment.
As a traditional musical instrument, Liuyeqin belongs to plucked stringed instrument of pipa type. The performance way is similar to that of pipa, and it is played by the right hand only. Liuyeqin musical instrument is generally used for drama accompaniment.
“Liuqin drama has 9 tunes, 18 tones and 72 hums”, so the singing tunes are really abundant. Xuzhou is located in the heart of the mainland and at the intersection and converging place of the two great drama parties of the south and north, producing permeating influences onto Liuqin drama singing tunes, and therefore resulting in mellow beauty of southern drama and also the boorish manly feature of northern drama to Liuqin drama, and this is the main reason that why it is worthy of hearing a hundred times without feeling boring to the audience.
