[Revisit the sky to see changes] Tashi Qudeng, the young and energetic first village of Tibetan opera

  China News Service, Shannan, August 5 (Zuo Yukun) "Boom...chacha...ahahahaha..." The image of a mask with a yellow face and white hair and a babbling melody constituted the country’s first batch of nonsense. Material cultural heritage-the classic elements of Yalong Tashi Xueba Tibetan Opera.

  According to legend, Tang Dongjiebu, the famous architect of the Ming Dynasty and the founder of Tibetan opera, went to build a bridge for Tibet and organized a Tibetan opera troupe to raise funds. He came to the present Tashi Qudeng community in Changzhu Town, Naidong District, Shannan City, Tibet, where he rehearsed. A new way of performing Tibetan opera.

This is the original Tibetan opera of the Yalong Tashi Xueba, and the Zhaxi Qudeng community is also known as the "first village of Tibetan opera".

  Culture builds the stage, economy sings and plays.

As the influence of Yalong Tashi Xueba’s Tibetan opera becomes more and more influential, the community has integrated this ancient culture with homestay tourism, and has taken a new path of intangible cultural heritage that the homestay “holds in hand” to help revitalize the countryside.

Yellow face and white hair, happy

  The mask covers the expressions of the performers, but the development of the story can be felt from the rap lyrics and dance moves, allowing the audience to listen attentively... This is the Tibetan opera performed by Yalong Tashi Xuepa wearing a yellow mask.

Due to its long history, it occupies an important position in the art of Tibetan opera, becoming the premiere of the Lhasa Snowdon Festival every year.

The Tashi Qudeng community is performing Tibetan opera performances in the Yalong Tashi Xueba.

Photo by Zuo Yukun, China News Service

  According to legend, Tang Dongjiebu used to build bridges and burned charcoal and iron at the ferry every day. His chest turned black and sallow, so he used a yellow mask to express his respect for Tang Dongjiebu during the performance.

The seemingly simple yellow mask is actually made of pure goatskin. The front of the goatskin is sewn layer by layer, and 12 layers of cloth are sewn.

The outermost part is sewn with yellow pulu, which is very delicate.

  In the Tashi Qudeng community, in the middle of the lampposts on the roadside and on the walls of the streets and lanes, the slightly raised corners of the mouth on the yellow masks can be seen everywhere, like welcoming guests to the community.

What is particularly noticeable in the village is the large building with the words "National Intangible Cultural Heritage Yalong Tashi Xueba Tibetan Opera Teaching Base". Every day there will be authentic Tibetan operas brought by local villagers and actors. Performance.

  The director of the community committee, Nima Tsering, is the representative inheritor of this ancient drama.

From the age of 16 when he was picked up by the teacher of the Tibetan opera team, he began to learn art, to become the protagonist and lead the team to participate in the performance, and became attached to Tibetan opera for 33 years. All the hard work and sweat of Nima Tsering felt worthwhile when he put on the yellow mask. NS.

  Time goes by, drama is like life.

Once in order to maintain the operation of the Tibetan opera troupe, Nima Tsering had to go to Barkhor Street in Lhasa to sell and sing to earn money; now, Nima Tsering has become the 11th generation inheritor of the Yalong Tashi Xuepa Tibetan Opera, once that humble Under his leadership, the Tibetan opera team gradually returned to life. With 31 members and a 470-square-meter training center, there are six or seven performances a night when there are many tourists.

  The establishment of the transfer institute gave the Tibetan opera of Yalong Tashi Xueba a place of "inhabitation".

The revitalization of homestay tourism has made the ancient Tashi Qudeng community burst out with youthful vitality.

The homestay holds intangible cultural heritage, and the villagers can make money at home

  “Last year, the state invested 30 million yuan in Hubei Province, which is a counterpart to Tibet, invested 20 million yuan to improve the hardware and software facilities of tourism services, and organized 56 households in the community to open homestays, driving an average annual household income increase of more than 5,000 yuan.” Nima Tsering Say.

  In recent years, Tashi Qudeng community has carried out in-depth improvement of human settlements and the development of rural tourism.

On June 22, 2020, the community received the first group of tourists. In July of the same year, it was selected as the second batch of key rural tourism villages in the country.

Dawa's homestay.

Photo by Zuo Yukun, China News Service

  The 63-year-old Dawa’s is the No. 6 homestay in the village.

At the beginning of last June, there were 5 beds in the family. Now the scale has expanded to 8. Each bed costs 50 yuan per night. The enthusiastic Dawa will also provide guests with free butter tea, sweet tea and other local specialties.

  Summer is the peak season for tourism in Tibet, and Tashi Qudeng’s climate is good, and the sun is good and not too cold in winter. The reputation of "winter trip to Tibet" has spread. The four seasons of Dawa’s homestay are peak seasons.

  According to reports, since June 2020, Tashi Qudeng Community has received 19,000 tourists from all over the country, and the village collectives and villagers have realized an increase of 1.9 million yuan in income.

The homestay industry has also expanded from the initial 7 households with 22 beds to 58 households with 440 beds.

  The scale is getting bigger and bigger, and the responsibilities are getting bigger and bigger.

The person in charge of the Zhaxi Qudeng community told reporters that the cleaning and disinfection of bed sheets, quilts, etc. are carried out uniformly and standardized by the community’s cooperatives. The owners of the hostel also have a special WeChat group, and the room sanitation inspection will be notified if the room fails to pass the sanitation inspection.

  Everyone in the village said that Dawa used to be a very introverted person, and he dared not raise his head when talking to others.

Since working as a homestay, I often chat with tourists from all over the country until late at night and play the flute.

Many tourists will call him after they leave, saying that the home is very clean and comfortable, and they will come again next year.

Dawa (first from right in the front row) and the villagers in their homestay.

Photo by Zuo Yukun, China News Service

  "In the past, the source of income was farming, working, and doing physical work on the construction site. It cost more than 100 yuan a day. It was very tiring and there was no money left on hand. Now it is very easy, as long as you do well in hygiene, you also have cash on hand." Dawa estimates that his net income is more than 30,000 yuan a year as a homestay.

  "The days when cleaning and cleaning can count money at home, I didn't even dare to think about it before." Dawa plans to add a few more beds next year.

(Finish)