Shangyu Stilts

Zhejiang
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Stilts are a kind of folk art that is popular among the masses and has strong local characteristics. The style is festive and warm, the performance technology is superb, and it is amazing and deeply loved by the people. Stilts have a long history in Xiaguan and other places in Yu'nan Mountain area, with a history of more than 100 years. The props of stilts are mainly two tripods. The tripods are divided into high and low. The high ones are more than ten feet high, and people standing on them can touch the eaves of folk houses, which is suitable for young people to perform; the low ones are only about one foot high, which is suitable for the elderly and young people to perform. The tripods are tied to the legs for performance, and there are also performances held in the hands. The ways of walking on stilts include forward walking, backward walking, sideways walking, hurdle walking, jumping walking, ladder walking, single jumping walking, circle walking, triangle walking, fancy walking, etc. There are two types of stilts: bamboo stilts and wooden stilts. The height of stilts varies and is customized according to one's own skill level. There are various forms of stilt performances, and costumes should be configured and movements should be rehearsed according to different scenarios. For example: "Water Flooding Jinshan" and "Legend of the White Snake". The costumes for stilt performances are generally determined according to different situations. For example: clown costumes, stilt-head costumes, mane hats, big belts, horse whips, silk sets, old fisherman hats, female stilt-head costumes, handkerchiefs, waist hoops, etc. The accompaniment instruments are mainly gongs, drums, and suonas. There is no particularly clear genealogy for the inheritance of stilts in Xiaguan. The first generation should be Xia Rongchang of Panjialingding; the second generation is represented by his son Xia Shungui, who enjoyed a high reputation in the first few decades of liberation. He had more than ten apprentices, all of whom were skilled and bold; at that time, there were also Taipingshan Stilts Class, Shengfan Stilts Team, Jinglu Stilts Team, Xidi Stilts Class and Zhangxi Stilts Class. After liberation, there was no special representative figure in the inheritance of stilts, but stilts, as a folk entertainment project, have always maintained its vigorous vitality. As a stilt inheritance base, Xiaguan Town Primary School has trained many young stilt team members under the guidance of tutors. In the 1998 Shangyu Folk Art Festival, the stilt performance organized by Xiaguan Town Primary School won a special award. In 2008, Xiaguan Town Primary School was identified as the first batch of intangible cultural heritage school inheritance bases (stilts) in Shangyu City. In June 2006, it was included in the first batch of Shaoxing City Intangible Cultural Heritage List. Information source: Shaoxing City Cultural Center Information source: Shaoxing City Cultural Center

Intangible culture related to the heritage

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