China News Service, Beijing, February 23 (Reporter Xing Rui) February 21 is the second day of the second lunar month in the lunar calendar, and it is also the day when the "dragon raises its head", which symbolizes the return of spring to the earth and the recovery of all things.
The Jinan Xiguan Stilt Team also ended their last performance for the 2023 Spring Festival on this day.
Team member Han Yi got up at 3 o'clock in the morning and began to dress himself up.
He first patted the foundation on his face with his index finger, followed by applying blush, eyeliner, and lips. Although the whole makeup process was a little rough, it was smooth and smooth.
Forty minutes later, Han Yi began to tie his head, put on a wig, and then put on a turquoise coat and skirt. He transformed into a charming and handsome female role.
Photo provided by the interviewee.
Handsome guy turned into a "beautiful girl"
Walking on stilts is divided into "Wen Stilts" and "Wu Stilts". The former focuses on performance, while the latter focuses on skills.
Han Yi, a boy born in 1999, plays a role called "Sour Nier".
In Jinan dialect, "sour" is a coquettish and shy gesture.
In his opinion, "Sour Nier" is a mischievous, smart, and slightly shy little girl.
Han Yi, who only joined the Xiguan Stilt Team last year, is still a rookie in the team. He does not have the superb skills of the "Wu Stilt" players. He spends time pondering the character and psychology of the characters, and learns the expressions and eyes of opera actors through the Internet. , also improved the costumes of the characters, and even learned to make up by themselves.
In order to better fit "Sour Nier", Han Yi also made pink manicures.
Under his interpretation, "Sour Nier" has big black braids, wears a blue and white long skirt, holds a purple handkerchief in her hand, and steps on 1.4-meter stilts. Be charming.
"How did he manage to be big and round and playful?"
"It's not my skirt he's picking up, it's my heart"
"It's not my waist that he twisted, it's my soul"
Wherever "Suanni" goes, it will inevitably attract a large crowd of onlookers.
Some enthusiastic old men even wanted to marry "Sou Ni" back home.
Although this made Han Yi feel embarrassed, he also deeply realized that a good stilt actor should pass on happiness to everyone.
"I think walking on stilts should not be for self-entertainment, and we should not be superior. Folklore activities should be lively. Only when the actors feel happy during the performance can they infect the audience, and the audience will give the actors positive feedback. Feedback."
Photo provided by the interviewee.
"Han Suan Ni" became popular on the Internet
With seriousness and dedication, Han Yi's "Sour Nier" quickly became popular on the Internet. His supporters gathered together and called themselves "Hot and Sour Fan".
Referring to his popularity, Han Yi said: "This is inseparable from the help of the captain, the care of my teammates, and the support and love of the audience." According to Han Yi, Jinan Xiguan stilts The team has a history of more than 200 years.
On weekdays, the team members have their own jobs, and because of their love for stilts, everyone gathers together.
Han Yi's job is a calligraphy teacher, and he also has a soft spot for acting.
When he was in college, he set up a drama club and rehearsed classic plays such as "Thunderstorm" and "The Mansion Gate" with his classmates.
In his opinion, the traditional art of calligraphy has been of great help to him in shaping the role of "San Ni": "Calligraphy and performance also have similarities. Calligraphy strokes can be light or heavy, thick or thin, and the rhythm of writing can be fast or slow." Slow. It is impossible for me to maintain a state when I am performing. Sometimes it is closed and sometimes it is played. These are the inspirations given to me by calligraphy."
Photo provided by the interviewee.
The new generation of fans of "old unique skills"
Calligraphy and stilts are both art forms that have been passed down for thousands of years. Every movement and stillness reveals the charm of traditional culture, and it also attracts a large number of young people like Han Yi to join.
During the Chinese New Year when he was a child, what Han Yi looked forward to most was walking around the streets with his father to watch stilt performances.
Chasing after the truck carrying the stilt team members is one of the things he must do during the Chinese New Year.
In 2015, a stilt team was established in the village, and Han Yi signed up to join, and thus became acquainted with stilts.
The popularity of "Suan Ni" has made more young people begin to understand the folk activity of walking on stilts.
Someone left a message under Han Yi's video: "Thank you very much for letting me know that China still has so many intangible cultural heritages." Different vitality.
Being recognized by "Hot and Sour Rice Noodles" is both pressure and motivation for Han Yi: "I have become more confident and determined to continue on the road of inheriting intangible cultural heritage and spreading traditional culture."
After the last performance, the team members will return to their respective lives.
In the future, Han Yi will also have more ideas about "Sour Girl", and he hopes to design a more colorful storyline for "Sour Girl": "Whether it's walking or acting, it's basically the same, and it may be in the future." To add some new actions, what needs to be enriched is the end of the partner. Next year I will definitely fix the storyline to make it more interesting for the audience to watch." (End)