There are various opinions on the origin of Dixi. Some people say it is a primitive folk opera which shares the same roots as Anhui Nuo opera and Jiangxi Nuo dancing, as such brought into Guizhou by a commander surnamed “Tang” from Nanjing, then capital of the Ming Dynasty. Other scholars believe that Dixi was derived directly from the military Nuo dancing and brought into Guizhou by the troops of Emperor Zhu from the areas south of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River. The inference is that Tunpu people perform Dixi for three reasons, namely recreation, military discipline and combat readiness training, and religious ritual, specifically sacrifice-based expulsion of evil spirits to invoke blessings, victories and the safe return of troops.

Tunpu Culture in the Modern Era

In 1986, Dixi made its debut in France and Spain, arousing a flood of attention from experts both at home and abroad. Researchers and scholars swarmed into Tunpu alongside the tourists to watch Dixi performed in its native setting. This traffic also brought in modern culture, which began the inevitable process of change in the lives and culture of the locals.

Zhan Xueyan is a Dixi actor and regarded as the master inheritor of Dixi, which has been designated a national intangible cultural heritage. He started to learn the art from his father at the age of nine. He now has a performance career spanning 40 years and with superb skills and a good voice still intact, enjoys his relative fame as a leading actor. In 1989 he received favorable comments at the Dixi competition held in Anshun City. Later in 2006, the Dixi performance group in which he served was invited by Zhang Yimou, a famous director, to take part in the shooting of his film Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles. Zhan Xueyan was the stand-in for the lead actor.

One link Zhan has with his garrison ancestors is that he still farms. The annual grain production of his family brings in an annual income exceeding RMB 10,000, a relatively good livelihood. He also carries many stories about his ancestors. The earliest he was able to trace was Zhan Sizong, a native of Anhui Province. In the early period of the Ming Dynasty, Zhan Sizong followed the army forces heading southwest to Guizhou. There he was promoted to a general for his contribution in battle and allowed to enclose a piece of land and establish a village named after him, “Zhan.”

Under the relentless challenge of modern culture, Tunpu culture faces two possibilities: either being passed on or disappearing. The ancestral link will be carried forward if this family is any example of Tunpu resillience. Zhan Xueyan is the 18th generation of this clan and he and his wife have two sons. His youngest son works in Zhejiang Province and has already set up his family there, an example of work taking garrison decendants away from taditional settlements. But the eldest stays with them to take care of the family plot; this son follows in his father’s cultural footsteps, becoming an accomplished Dixi actor himself. Their Dixi team is also training at any one time at least ten kids as apprentices. Zhan is currently so busy either leading his team to various cultural activities or being invited to perform in neighboring villages.

Examples of surviving and thriving Ming cultural activities we are gratified to hear of include the local folk custom of lantern festivals. Maguan Town is the “home of festive lanterns.” Every village has its own festive lantern team and every year locals hold a carnival for lanterns displayed during the Spring Festival. On non-festival days, in the central bustling area of the town, some amateur enthusiasts gather frequently to display and compare the lanterns for fun.

When it comes to another cultural relic – local folk songs, governments at the village and town levels often organize folk song competitions, which invite people’s spontaneity and enthusiasm. In a short time, the number of regional folk singers has increased from dozens to hundreds of people. In terms of costumes, because of the improved quality and beautiful dyes, more and more locals prefer wearing traditional garments. Some young girls sport the long robes but match them up with high-heeled shoes, combining tradition and modernity.

Whether other patterns of cultural heritage will be broken or not remains a big concern. Big changes have happened in architecture. Many stone houses have been gradually replaced by modern reinforced concrete constructions decorated with ceramic tiles. Marriages are personal fortresses of culture but coupling is no longer confined to locals. More and more young people leave for school or jobs, resulting in dwindling numbers in both Dixi performers and their audiences.

However, the good news is that many Tunpu women are bold enough to break the “rules set by the Gods” which stipulate that Dixi art belongs only to men. Many Tunpu women have started to wear the masks and wield the weapons mastered by traditional Dixi performers. Their art might lack the masculine spirit, but it conveys a feminine grace. Combined with the government’s efforts to mount Dixi competitions every year and the thriving local tourism industry, it seems people will be able to hear the gongs and drums beating again in Tunpu villages.

China Today would like to thank Mr. Hu Yiping of Publicity Department of the CPC Anshun Municipal Committee.