Chapter 8 Section 4 The Pioneers of the Art of Singing

Before the slave society, most of the representative figures who embodied the characteristics and level of singing art performances were wizards who presided over and engaged in primitive religious activities.In ancient legends, these wizards are mostly clan leaders and deified figures worshiped by the clan, such as the Yellow Emperor, who "gathered ghosts and gods as "Qingjiao" before fighting Chiyou, and practiced with witchcraft music ("Han Feizi Ten "Guo"); after defeating Chi You, he "composed ten chapters of "The Song of [Gang Gang] Drums"" and sang with the accompaniment of drums ("Yi Shi" Volume 5 cited "Gui Zang").This combination of wizards, musicians, and leaders without a strict professional division of labor did not change fundamentally until the establishment of the slave system in the Xia Dynasty. At this time, full-time musicians in charge of sacrificial ceremonies and dances separated from the leaders began to appear.In the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, the intellectual class known as "shi" rose, and the folk self-entertainment music that broke away from court rituals, ceremonies, music and dances gradually grew, and folk singing art was generally developed.

In the state of Wei, a folk singer named Wang Bao lived on the bank of Qishui (now a tributary of the Wei River in northern Henan). Because of his high artistic accomplishment, he had a great influence on the villagers in the Hexi area, so there are many good singers here. .In Qi State, there was a folk singer named Mianju who lived in Gaotang (northeast of today’s Shanxi Province). Because of his excellent singing skills, under his teaching, most people in the west of Qi State were good at singing.In the towns with prosperous business, professional singers also began to appear. They made a living by singing, teaching songs and imparting vocal skills, which promoted the development of singing art.In the state of Qin, there was a singer named Qin Qing who specialized in singing and teaching songs. He had very high singing skills.A good singer named Xue Tan sought advice from him and worshiped him as his teacher.Under Qin Qing's teaching, Xue Tan's vocal skills have made great progress. Xue Tan himself thought that he had learned enough, so he proposed to leave his teacher and go home to practice art independently.Although Qin Qing understood that Xue Tan's vocal skills had not yet reached the level of perfection, but the student insisted on leaving and could not force it, so he went to the suburbs to see Xue Tan in person.Qin Qing came to the outskirts, and sang a sad and euphemistic song for the students while beating the time. , The white clouds rushing in the sky seemed to be suddenly stagnant because of this song!Xue Tan was dumbfounded... It took a moment to wake up, and he felt infinitely ashamed of his pride, complacency and childish ignorance, and immediately expressed that he would continue to be Qin Qing's student, and never mentioned going home again. The phrase "sound vibrates the trees, and the sound stops the clouds" comes from this allusion ("Liezi·Tang Wen").

Qin Qing has such superb vocal skills because he has a broad vision and is good at absorbing the artistic essence of his predecessors.He admired a senior female singer named Han E very much.Han E is a Korean. When she traveled to Qi, she ran out of food. She sang at the gate of the city to beg for food. Her singing deeply moved the people around, and they generously let her share the food at home.Three days after Han'e's departure, the local people seem to still hear her wonderful singing echoing on the beams. Since then, there has been an idiom "the lingering sound lingers on the beam for three days".After Han E left, she went to an inn to seek a place to stay. The people in the inn insulted her. She wept sadly with singing, and the men, women and children around her also wept with her singing, and could not swallow food for three days.People couldn't bear Han E's departure, and chased her to come back.Han E came back and played a long song for people again.Everyone was ecstatic to hear her singing, and couldn't help dancing.Due to the influence of Han E's singing art, the people in Yongmen area of ​​Qi State are good at singing sad songs.

Wang Bao, Mianju, Xue Tan, Qin Qing, Han E and others are the earliest known professional folk singing artists in the history of our country. made a positive contribution.