汉译英翻译实践案例7：
《盐城:淮剧的前世今生》
淮剧的前身
梆子腔
淮剧，又名江淮戏，是中国江苏省“最具代表性的地方剧种”之一，至今已有200多年历史。淮剧起源于苏北盐阜地区及江淮一带。最初主要流行于长江以北、淮河以南的淮阴、盐城、扬州等地区，是苏北江淮平原上风格迥异独树一帜的活态非遗民间艺术。
了解淮剧首先要追溯其艺术源头，明了其中的渊源关系。在淮剧形成之前，苏北地区曾经活跃过一些戏剧艺术活动，“梆子腔”首当其冲。
“梆子腔”，是一种对戏曲声腔系统的总称，以硬木梆子击节为特色而得名。这是戏曲中最早采用板式变化结构的声腔。由于起源于明末山西，山西古属秦地，因此“梆子腔”也称秦腔。西秦腔与各地方言和民间音乐结合，逐渐衍变成梆子腔支系，其中历史最早、影响较大的是陕西的同州梆子和山西的蒲州梆子。以硬木梆子击节，并且以不同形制的板胡主奏乐器。调式多为微调式，唱调为上下句式，多有华彩流畅的花腔乐句为辅。曲调以七声音阶为主，旋法上多跳进，常用闪板，整个音乐风格高亢激越，悲壮粗犷。古秦地慷慨豪迈的民风，形成了秦腔高亢激越的基调，长于表现雄壮、悲愤的情绪。与此相应，秦腔的传统剧目中很多是关于忠奸斗争的主题，也有诙谐、活泼、充满生活气息的主题。
随着陕西商帮及李自成起义队伍的影响，自西向东，经过豫、冀、皖、鲁等地，一方面音随地改，一方面吸收当地民间艺术的营养，衍变为豫剧、河北梆子、山东梆子等各种梆子。这就与存在于苏北的音乐产生交融，形成了合于梆子腔而又与此相异的特性。到了江苏的扬州、句容，则被称为“扬州梆子”与“句容梆子”。根据《扬州画舫录》记载：“句容有以‘梆子腔’来者”。由于演唱技巧已非纯粹的秦腔，故而仍然称为“梆子腔”。根据老艺人吕其谦所提供的《吕氏家谱》，出生于清康熙年间的吕大栾，就是唱的“梆子”老生。因此，可以判断，在清代中叶，活跃在苏北地区的最早的戏曲剧种，应是“梆子腔”。
Pioneers of Huai Opera
Bangzi Tune
Huai Opera, also named as Jianghuai opera, lasting for over 200 years, is one of “the most representative local operas” in Jiangsu Province of China. It’s originated in Yancheng area of northern Jiangsu and Yangtze-Huai region. In the very beginning, it’s a type of dynamic intangible cultural heritage folk art, with distinctive and unique style in Yangtze-Huai Plain, which was mainly popular in Huaiyin, Yancheng, Yangzhou, and so on areas of the northern Yangtze River, and southern Huaihe River.
It’s necessary to understand the origin of Huai Opera and its relationship with other opera types if we want to understand it. Before Huai Opera was formed, there were many active opera art forms, “Bangzi Tune (tune with wooden clapper)” was the first one on the list.
“Bangzi Tune” is one kind of generalization of vocal system of the traditional Chinese opera, which is named for characteristics of striking hardwood clapper. This is a systematic tune which is the earliest one to adopted metre change structure of Chinese operas. It originated in Shanxi at the end of the Ming Dynasty, and Shanxi was anciently under the jurisdiction of the Qin region, therefore, “Bangzi tune” is also called Qin tune. The western Qin tune was combined with various local dialects and folk music, gradually evolving into branches of the Bangzi tune. Among them, the ones with the earliest history and greater influence are the Tongzhou Bangzi in Shaanxi and the Puzhou Bangzi in Shanxi. It uses a hardwood clapper to beat the rhythm, and uses different shapes of banhu, a bowed two stringed instrument with a thin wooden soundboard, as the main musical instrument. Mostly, fine tuning is taken. Singing tune contains upper and lower phrase patterns, supplemented by gorgeous and smooth coloratura musical phrases. Melody is mainly based on heptachord. In the melodic technique, there are many leaps, frequently used with pause for half a beat. Therefore, the whole musical style is sonorous and passionate, solemn and rough. The generous and heroic folk customs of the ancient Qin region formed the fundamental key of Qin tune, high- pitched and passionate, which is good at expressing majestic and grieved emotions. Correspondingly, many traditional repertoires of Qin tune are about the theme of the struggle between loyalty and treachery, and few are on humorous, lively topics or with full of life atmosphere.
With the influence of Shannxi business group and Li Zicheng rebellion forces, Bangzi tune changed with the accents of local people, nurtured by folk art when they came to Henan, Hebei, Anhui and Shandong. It was developed into Yu Opera, Hebei tune, Shandong tune and so on. It has been integrated with music of northern Jiangsu with blended but different features from Bangzi tune. When it was spread to Yangzhou, Ju Rong of Jiangsu, it is called “Yangzhou Bangzi” and “Jurong Bangzi”. According to A Record of the Painted Boats in Yangzhou, “there was ‘Bangzi Tune’ in Jurong. ” Because singing technique is not pure Qin tune, it still was called as “Bangzi tune”. By the words of “The Genealogy of the Lyu Family” offered by old artist Lyu Qiqian, Lyu Daluan born during the reign of emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty was old gentleman Laosheng singing “Bangzi”. Hence, it could proves that the earliest vibrant opera type in northern Jiangsu should be “Bangzi tune”.
徽戏
淮剧之前苏北地区活跃的另一类戏剧种类便是徽戏。
徽戏，原名“徽调”、“二黄调”，为中国安徽省地方戏曲剧种之一。这是一种重要的汉族地方戏曲，也是中国戏曲的一个重要剧种，不仅京剧是在它的基础上演变形成，中国南方的许多地方戏曲剧种，都与它有历史渊源，其影响几乎遍及全国。其音乐优美，唱腔系统。主要分青阳腔、四平腔、徽腔、吹腔、拨子、二黄、西皮、花腔小调共九类。以吹腔、拨子、皮簧为主要声腔。吹腔轻柔委婉，拨子高亢激昂，皮簧比较通俗流畅，徽剧的表演艺术丰富多彩，技艺精湛。文戏具有载歌载舞、委婉细腻的特点，武戏具有粗犷热烈，功夫精深的特点，其善于高台跌扑常震惊观众。生活小戏以浓郁的乡土气息和风趣诙谐的语言令人着迷。舞台画面多姿多彩，具有雕塑造型美。其内容涉及列国纷争、宫廷大事、神仙鬼怪及民间生活故事。
乾隆五十年，秦腔被清朝朝廷明文禁止演出。此时，发源于安徽的徽戏开始兴盛起来，并流行于南方各地。当时，扬州是南方的戏剧中心。乾嘉年间，“四大徽班”进京，就是从扬州出发的。而徽班的另一支流，则沿着苏北里下河流域，自扬州到高邮、兴化、东台盐城等地，自成流派，被称为“里下河徽班”。在清末民初期间，徽戏在苏北地区引起强烈反响，格外受人欢迎，并出现具有影响力的名角。如出生于1850年的王鸿寿，艺名又叫三麻子，他最先在“里下河徽班”中崭露头角，后来去往上海，成为“南派京剧”的创始人之一。可见，从清代中叶到民国初期，苏北地区最为流行的是徽戏，后来逐渐演变为“苏北京戏”。
淮剧与徽戏的渊源颇深。第一，清代中叶，二黄腔盛行，各路徽班艺人与外剧种的交流接触逐步增多，足迹也曾遍布盐阜地区。约在二十世纪初叶，盐阜一带的徽班多达二十余个。许多著名淮剧演员均在和徽班同台演出时受过熏陶。第二，淮剧对徽剧声腔的兼容十分明显。据谱面对照，淮剧的“靠把调”同徽剧音乐中徽戏部分的“拨子”同出一辙。“拨子”的音调使淮剧粗犷朴实的音乐陡增高亢、激越之声，引发了自身气质的剧变，扩大了淮剧音乐的表现功能。并且，“拨子”的渗入，推动了淮剧音乐结构体制的发展，由“曲牌联缀体”向“板式变化体”转化，在仅有慢板、掼板、起落板的基础上，发展起导板、回龙、散板、摇板等多种板别。不单如此，“靠把调”的基本轮廓，也是脱胎于徽戏“拨子”腔，其中多用于大本戏、武生和老生戏的做法又为淮剧声腔分行分档提供了借鉴。徽戏中与戏曲声腔并重的伴奏音乐也是淮剧所引用的。如徽戏的“朝天子”、“泣颜回”、“万年欢”、“小开门”、“驻马听”等曲牌。第三，徽戏拓宽了淮戏的舞台领域，丰富了其人物形象，加强了其表现能力，使得那种“捂着肚子干唱”的老旧表演痕迹逐渐消除，取而代之的是讲究气派、一招一式的严谨规范，高台平台的过硬武功，身段画面的美观大方。徽戏为淮戏铺就了一条表演程式上的创变之路。
Hui Opera
Another prominent opera genre active in Northern Jiangsu was Hui Opera before Huai Opera.
Hui Opera, originally known as “Hui Tune” or “Er-Huang Tune”, is one of the regional opera forms of Anhui Province, China. It is an important local opera for Han Chinese and a major genre in Chinese traditional opera. Not only was Peking Opera developed from its foundation, but many southern Chinese regional operas also share historical ties with it, making its influence nearly nationwide. Hui Opera is renowned for its exquisite music and systematic vocal styles, primarily categorized into nine types, that is, Qing-Yang Tune, Si-Ping Tune, Hui Tune, Chui Tune (Blown Tune), Bo-Zi (Plucked Tune), Er-Huang, Xi-Pi, and Hua-Qiang Minor Tune (coloratura). Among these, Chui tune, Bo-Zi, and Pi-Huang (a fusion of Xi-Pi and Er-Huang) are the dominant vocal styles. Chui tune is soft and lyrical, Bo-Zi is bold and impassioned, while Pi-Huang is more accessible and fluid.
The performance art of Hui Opera is rich and refined. Wen Play (Chinese opera are characterized by singing and dancing) is with delicate expressiveness, while Wu Play (martial opera) presents vigorous intensity and profound martial skills, often stunning audiences with high-platform acrobatics. Folk comedy captivates with their rustic charm and witty dialogue. The stage visions are vibrant and sculpturally aesthetic, covering themes ranging from historical conflicts, court intrigues, mythological tales to daily life stories.
In the 50th year of the reign of emperor Qianlong (1785), Qinq tune of Shaanxi Opera was explicitly forbidden by Qing court. Hui Opera, originated in Anhui, was thrived and spread across southern China. At that time, Yangzhou was the theatrical hub of the south. During the Qianlong-Jiaqing periods, the “Four Great Hui Troupes” departed from Yangzhou to perform in Beijing. Meanwhile, another branch of Hui troupes traveled along the Lixiahe River region of northern Jiangsu—from Yangzhou to Gaoyou, Xinghua, Dongtai, and Yancheng, etc. — forming a distinct school known as the “Hui Troupes of Lixiahe River”. From the late Qing to the early Republic of China, Hui Opera gained immense popularity in northern Jiangsu. Performer like Wang Hongshou, stage named San Mazi, was born in 1850. He first made a figure in Lixiahe River troupes before moving to Shanghai, where he became one of pioneers of “Southern-style Peking Opera.” Thus, from the mid-Qing to the early Republican era, Hui opera dominated northern Jiangsu before it was gradually developed into “Northern Jiangsu Peking Opera”.
Huai Opera shares deep roots with Hui Opera. First, there were artistic exchanges. During the mid-Qing Dynasty, Er-Huang tune flourished, and Hui troupes increasingly interacted with other regional operas, spreading to Yancheng-Funing region. By the early 20th century, over 20 Hui troupes were active there. Many renowned Huai Opera performers were influenced by joint performances with Hui troupes.
Second, vocal integration was prodeced. Huai Opera notably absorbed Hui Opera’s vocal styles. For instance, Huai’s “Kao-Ba Tune” is identical to Hui’s Bo-Zi. The bold, uplifting tones of Bo-Zi transformed Huai Opera’s rustic music, enhancing its expressive range. And this integration also advanced Huai’s musical structure, shifting from “tunes medley” to “rhythm and metrical variations”, introducing new rhythmic patterns like Dao-Ban (introductory beat), Hui-Long (melodic return), and San-Ban (free rhythm), etc., based on the only Man-Ban (slow beat), Guan-Ban, and Qi-Luo-Ban (pause). The Kao-Ba tune itself derives from Hui’s Bo-Zi tune. More than that, Hui Opera’s large-scale performance, and performance mainly by martial actor or old gentleman influence specific vocal divisions according to roles in Huai Opera. Additionally, Huai adopted Hui’s accompaniment music, as important as systematic tunes in opera, including melodies like “Ode to the Emperor”, “Lament of Yan Hui”, “Celebration of Eternal Joy”, “Xiao Kai Men”, “Stopping Horse to listen” and so on.
Third, performance was also developed. Hui Opera expanded Huai’s theatrical scope, enriching its figure and elevating its artistic rigor. It gradually replaced Huai’s old simplistic “one fold singing” style with disciplined movements, grand staging, and polished martial arts. Hui laid the groundwork for Huai’s performative innovation.
香火戏
香火戏是起源于江苏扬淮一带的艺术表演形式。其前身为当地香火会酬神还愿的坐唱活动。是一种带有浓重宗教意味、在坊间自由繁衍发展的唱表形态。据《中国戏曲·曲艺辞典》介绍：“江苏北部农村中的‘青苗’、“火星”、“牛栏”等会社都用香火酬神还愿，统称‘香火会’，所演出的戏即称‘香火戏’。最早均为业余演员，用大锣大鼓伴奏，风格粗犷，所以曾被称为‘大开口’。所演剧目系根据《神书》改编，有《魏徵斩龙》、《刘全进瓜》、《秦始皇赶山塞海》等。”其内容涵盖神话传说与历史故事。表演分为内坛与外坛，内坛侧重神鬼题材，外坛侧重世俗传奇。民国初与扬州花鼓戏合流，1931年联合演出后逐步融合为杨剧。20世纪50年代因传承局限逐渐式微。
香火戏作为民间香火会娱神的宗教戏剧活动，曾在苏北城乡非常流行。与此相似的是，苏北地区还有一种巫师，当地称“僮子”，这是一种迎神赛会时的舞蹈和说唱，先后吸收徽剧与花鼓戏的表演艺术，逐渐形成戏曲形式，被称为“僮子戏”。在南通地区，僮子戏经改革发展称为“通剧”。从名称上来说，香火戏与僮子戏本质上属于同一戏曲形式的不同称谓，主要区别在于地理与历史方面的差异。香火戏因祭祀活动中的“香火”仪式演变而来，而僮子戏则强调表演者“僮子”的身份特征，但两者均指代这种融合祭祀与表演的民俗活动。从地域来看，扬州地区的香火戏与僮子戏存在关联，可追溯到古代“傩”仪式，而盐城建湖淮剧的前身香火戏以“僮子”为核心元素。从表演特征来分析，香火戏以“大开口调”等曲调为特色，属于“洪山派”体系，而建湖香火戏则保留更多原始巫术表演特征，如“海刚峰”传说等故事元素。
香火戏的曲调元素为淮剧的形成提供基础，其剧目、表演、艺术均被吸收，成为淮剧的组成部分。从明代以来，盐城人民为了消病祛灾，祈求丰收，叫巫子或僮子，在香火巫术之后唱一些戏，之后加入人物扮演，妆造简单，没有动作，锣鼓为主，成为淮剧萌芽的酵母剂。香火戏是“念大忏”，唱出故事。大忏又《周忏》《唐忏》等多部，是一种长篇说唱脚本，大约有10万行，可谓汉民族民间文学中的长篇巨制。香火艺人把这种民俗活动叫做“做会”。有渔民为祈求四季平安的“大王会”，农民为祈求五谷丰登的“青苗会”，洪灾时为保护圩堤的“圩堤会”，祈求孩子无灾无病的“解关会”，祈求新居平安的“安宅会”，香火艺人根据做会的不同内容，演唱不同的忏本。其说唱部分故事曲折，情节生动，语言丰富，人物鲜明，是民间口头文学的一颗璀璨明珠，成为淮剧的根。由于它不是严格意义上的戏剧，但有戏剧性的因素，不是纯粹的戏曲音乐，但融有民间歌舞、佛道音乐、戏曲音乐等诸多音乐成分，香火戏具有戏剧化的样态，又有表演的程式。例如，做会的僮子身披布囊，手执云板，口唱多种不同腔型的“僮子调”，以近似原生性的舞姿、身段、步态等表演样式，随着内设花坛，外扬门幡，诸神念偈，斫刀披红，击鼓串铃，载歌载舞，唱诵巫书、神书、劝世文，从而完成民俗信仰中驱疫逐鬼、祛病消灾等祭祀活动。在《九仙女揭榜》《李迎春出嫁》《魏九郎借马》《唐太宗坐朝》等具有傩属性的剧目中，虽然其表演简单，技艺粗糙，但兼具叙事性和戏曲化，文体上带有粗野成分的演唱，也为后世淮剧的成形播下了种子。淮剧历史上一些声名显赫的名伶，如武旭东、嵇佳芝、谢长钰、吕祝山、韩太和、梁广友、李乔松、徐寿保等，都是从乡傩演出中起步，进而从庙台、草台转向舞台，成为中国淮剧最早的一批演员。这类从粗野的原始状态发展而来的香火戏，连同它吟诵式的演唱、仪式表演的特征，至今还隐约地存留在淮剧舞台之上，实属淮剧历史上存在于里下河地区最为久远的传统戏剧样式，反映了淮剧的萌芽状态。
Incense Playlet
Incense Playlet (Playlet with Incense Ritual) is a traditional performance art originated from Yangzhou and Huai’an region in Jiangsu Province. It evolved from the seated singing rituals of local incense ceremony, which were held to honor deities and fulfill vows. This art form was developed organically among the folk with strong religious undertones. According to the Dictionary of Chinese Opera and Art, “In rural northern Jiangsu, communal groups like the ‘Green Shoots Society’, ‘Sparks Society’, and ‘Cattle Pen Society’ performed rituals with incense offerings to deities, generally called ‘Xianghuo Hui’ (Incense Ceremony). The operas staged during these events were termed incense playlet.” Initially performed by amateur actors accompanied with gongs and drums, its robust style earned it the nickname Da Kai Kou (bold and unrestrained). The repertoire, adapted from sacred texts Books of Deities, included titles like Wei Zheng Slays the Dragon, Liu Quan Offers Melons to the Underworld, and First Emperor of Qin Moves Mountains to Block the Sea, etc., blending mythological and historical narratives. Performances were divided into Inner Altar, focused on divine or ghostly themes, and Outer Altar, emphasized on secular legends. In the early Republic of China era, it was merged with Yangzhou Flower Drum Opera, and was gradually developed into Yangzhou Opera after joint performances in 1931. By the 1950s, it was declined due to limited cultural inheritance.
As a religious theatrical activity tied to folk incense rituals, Incense Playlet was once widely popular in urban and rural northern Jiangsu. A similar tradition involved local necromancer called “Tong-Zi”, who performed dances and narrative singing during deity-welcoming festivals. Absorbing elements from Hui opera and Flower Drum Opera, Tong-Zi rituals were gradually formed into Tong-Zi Playlet, later reformed in Nantong as Tong Opera. While incense playlet and Tong-Zi Playlet essentially represent the same art form under different names, their distinctions lie in geography and historical context. Incense Playlet is derived from incense ceremonies, whereas Tong-Zi Playlet highlights the performer’s identity and features. Both, however, they all point to the folk activity integrating ritual with performance. Regionally, Yangzhou’s Incense playlet and Tong-Zi Playlet trace roots to ancient Nuo rites, while Incense Playlet, a precursor to Huai Opera, of Yancheng’s Jianhu area, centered on figure Tong-Zi. Stylistically, Incense Playlet featured tunes like the Da-Kai-Kou Tune (Bold and Unrestrained Tune) under the Hongshan School, whereas Jianhu’s variant retained more primitive witchcraft traits, such as some tale elements of “Hai Gangfeng”.
Incense Playlet’s melodic elements contributed to the foundation of forming Huai opera. Huai opera also absorbed its repertoire, acting styles, and artistry. Since the Ming Dynasty, Yancheng locals enlisted Tong-Zi or necromancer to perform post-ritual operas for healing and harvest blessings. These early performances contained minimal costumes, static acting, and gong-drum accompaniment, serving as the “yeast” for Huai opera’s germination. Incense Playlet’s “Nian Da Chan” (Grand Penance Chant)—a narrative form to sing tales—including epic scripts like Zhou Penance and Tang Penance, approximately 100,000 lines, which makes them monumental works of Han folk literature. Practitioners called these events “ Zuo Hui ” (Holding Ceremony). There are specific needs with different content for practitioners. Such as fishermen’s “Great King Ceremony” for safety, farmers’ “Green Shoots Ceremony” for harvests, flood-related “Dyke Ceremony” for protecting dyke, parents’ “Jie Guan Ceremony” for healthy children, new livers’ “Safety Ceremony” for peaceful living. The sung stories, rich in plot and expression with distinctive figure, became oral literature gems and Huai Opera’s roots.
Though not strictly theater, Incense Playlet is blended with dramatic elements; not pure theatre music, but fused with folk dance, Buddhist and Daoist music, operatic tunes, and so on, forming a hybrid with both theatre modality and performative procedure. For example, Tong-Zi performers wear cloth sacks, wield clappers, and sing in varied “Tong-Zi Tunes”, dancing with primal gestures amid floral altars and ritual banners. They mutter deities with knives in red, beating drums and stringing bells in dancing. They chant on books of sorcery, Books of Deities and moral exhortations, to expel plagues or cure illnesses in the ritual activity. Plays like The Nine Immortal Maidens Unveil the Scroll, Li Yingchun’s Wedding, Wei Jiulang Borrows Horse, and Emperor Taizong of Tang Holds Court, etc. —despite their crude staging, rough skill, and barbaric singing—contained narrative and theatrical seeds for forming Huai Opera. Legendary Huai Opera actors like Wu Xudong, Ji Jiazhi, Xie Changyu, Lyu Zhushan, Han Taihe, Liang Guangyou, Li Qiaosong, Xu Shoubao, etc. began to perform in Nuo within villages before transitioning to formal stages from temples and simple stages, becoming the genre’s pioneers. The primal chants and ritualistic flair of Incense Playlet still echo subtly in modern Huai Opera, marking it as the oldest indigenous theatrical tradition in Lixiahe region, which is a window of Huai Opera’s embryonic form.
三可子戏
三可子是民间对盐淮小戏或江淮小戏的俗称，是淮剧的雏形阶段，融合了香火戏、门叹词两种艺术形式。
门叹词又叫门弹词，是十九世纪中叶流行于江苏盐城、阜宁一带的民间艺术形式。半农半艺的农民，通常一人肩挑一副空箩筐，手拿一块板，迫于生计沿门卖唱，开口即唱，施舍即止，边打板边唱，形成门叹词。形式为一人单唱或二人对唱。由于是行乞求生，所以门叹词的唱词一般较为凄苦，曲调悲凉。门叹词的许多艺人，如李玉花、董桂英等后来都投身于淮剧之中，为淮剧的孕育和形成播下了种子。
公元1862年前后，盐淮地区形成了以“门叹词”艺术形式为基础和主体的新的戏曲剧种——盐淮小戏。盐淮小戏开始称为“门叹词”，后来被称为“三可子”。所谓“三可子”，就是指“三个人就可唱一台戏”的意思。在唱腔上，三可子分为东路唱腔和西路唱腔，东路唱腔是盐城、阜宁所在的下河地区，以建湖县的语音为基调，以唱“下河调”为主；西路唱腔是指淮安、宝应所在的下河地区，以“两淮”地区的乡音为基调，以唱“淮蹦子”为主。伴奏仅有大锣、小锣、响板和竹根鼓等打击乐器。原始曲调最早由苏北农村的号子发展而成。唱词都是来源于民间的口头文学，质朴且接地气，体现了劳动人民的智慧。
三可子的演出主要是露天扮演小生、小旦的“对子戏”，或是增加了小丑的“三小戏”。三可子班社一般是由六七个人组成的演出小集体，三个人在舞台上演出，另外三个人在台下伴奏，称为“六人三对面”，即一说六人演出，有三次对面。三可子的演出戏台十分简陋，在地上铺席子做戏台进行表演叫作“地塌戏”；将农户的木门拆下来，用土砖垫成简易的台子做戏台进行表演则叫“板门戏”。而演出服装都是民间便服。当时三可子有“六人大班一顶盔”的流行语，足以显明三可子演出服装的简单。演出道具一般是日常所用的生活用品，如使用门闩当剑，使用柳条作鞭。演出形式则是各个角色在戏台上走来走去，相互接唱。演出剧目一般是移植徽剧或是扬剧等其他剧种中角色较少的剧目，如《借贷》、《滚灯》、《隔墙》、《访友》等生活小戏。
San-Ke-Zi Playlet
San-Ke-Zi Playlet (Playlet Performable among Three People) is a folk term of Yanhuai Playlet or Jianghuai Playlet, representing the embryonic stage of Huai Opera. It blends two traditional art forms, Incense Playlet and Men-Tan-Ci (Lament Song by Door).
Men-Tan-Ci, also known as Lament Song with Clapper, was a popular folk art form in the mid-19th century of Yancheng and Funing, Jiangsu. Farmer artist carrying empty baskets on a shoulder pole and holding clappers, would sing door-to-door for alms. They performed impromptu solo or in duets, stopping only when charity was given. Due to its beggar origins, Men-Tan-Ci’s lyrics were often sorrowful, with melancholic melodies. Many Men-Tan-Ci performers, such as Li Yuhua and Dong Guiying, later joined Huai Opera, laying the foundation for its formation.
Around 1862, Yanhuai Playlet-- a new opera genre based on the artistic form Men-Tan-Ci-- emerged in Yanhuai region. Initially called Men-Tan-Ci, it later became known as San-Ke-Zi Playlet, meaning “three people can stage a playlet”. Musically, San-Ke-Zi Playlet could be divided into Eastern and Western aria styles.
For Eastern style, it is mainly featured by “Lower River Tune” based on Jianhu county accent, in the lower river area of Yancheng and Funing.
For Western style, it is mainly featured by “Huai-Beng-Zi Tune” based on Huai-region vernacular, in the lower river area of Huai’an and Baoying. Its accompaniments include percussion like big and small gongs, clappers, and bamboo-root drums. Its tunes initially were evolved from rural work chants, while lyrics were originated from oral folk literature—simple and earthy, reflecting laborers’ wisdom.
San-Ke-Zi Playlet are mostly open-air “Two-role Playlet” with a young man and a young woman or “Three-role Playlet” added with another Xiao Chou (buffoon) in performances. There are six members in a troupe, containing three performing on stage and three accompanying by musical equipments. It’s dubbed as “Face-to-face Thrice by Six People”, namely, there are three times to face each other in a six-people-performance. Moreover, its stages are rudimentary. It’s called as “Mat Playlet” for the performances on mats laid on the ground. And it’s called “Door Playlet” for the performances with makeshift stages using dismantled farmhouse doors atop bricks. Costumes were daily folk clothes, epitomized by the saying “six actors, one helmet”. Props include household items, for example, door bolts as swords, willow branches as whips. Major performing way is actors moving around the stage, singing alternately. Repertoire is usually small-scale plays with few roles on life, borrowed from Hui or Yang Opera, like Borrowing and Lending, Rolling Lights, Partition, and Visiting Friends.
淮剧的形成
江北小戏
江北小戏是淮戏的别称之一，是起源于江苏盐城、淮安等地的民间香火戏，后融合徽戏等艺术形式发展而成。其名称源于早期在江北地区，即今天江苏北部及上海等地的演出活动。由于江北小戏受徽戏的影响，“徽夹可”下的江北小戏，其中“徽”就指的是徽戏，尤指具有里下河地方特色的“里下河徽班”，“可”指三可子，更准确地说是里下河地区的东路淮剧。
按音乐曲调而言，江北小戏分为“东路”和“西路”。东路江北小戏活跃于黄海之滨的盐城、阜宁一带，属下河地区。早期演唱的主要曲调，就被称为“下河调”。其结构形式及曲调风格接近于小调。唱腔刚柔并济。后来，“老拉调”、“自由调”兴起之后，就逐渐取代了“下河调”。
西路江北小戏则活跃于运河沿线的清江、淮安、宝应一带的上河地区。他们演唱的主要曲调，就叫“淮调”。“淮调”又叫“淮调子”。音调比较粗犷高亢，腔调近似口语，短促强硬，诉说性强，具有江北一带的地方色彩与乡土气息。
在曲体结构上，江北小戏从原来的“曲牌连缀体”转化为“板式变化体”。在伴奏上，江北小戏吸收了徽剧的“身段锣鼓”、“闹台锣鼓”和伴奏曲牌，后来增加了板鼓、苏锣、唢呐等乐器，丰富了江北小戏的音乐场面。
江北小戏的演出讲究“一引、二白、三哭、四笑的规模格局”，如二十年代前后流行于盐城一带的花旦演员周二娘，由于她吸收了徽剧的表演程式，在表演、做功上均具有格局，所以盐城地区曾流行歇后语：“周二娘的小戏——格式多”。徽戏擅长文戏武唱，表演热烈，江北小戏吸收了徽剧的武功，并将其与香火戏时期的杂技相结合，培养了一批武戏见长的知名演员。“爬竿”、“飞叉”、“单刀技艺”等武功在当时非常出名。在角色行当上，江北小戏发展为齐全的“生旦净丑”诸行。在服装上，江北小戏采用徽剧的服装及装扮，“净角脸谱化，还有了分别置放盔帽、袍褶、鞋靴、配饰的衣箱”，衣箱逐步齐全。在剧目上，江北小戏大量地引入徽剧的袍带戏、靠把戏、红生戏，如《张良辞朝》、《白云山》、《游五庙》、《百寿图》、《空城计》、《战盘河》等，变“大戏小做”。在徽剧的影响下，江北小戏逐步形成了淮剧的传统剧目“九莲十三英七十二记”，即剧目的名称都带有“莲”、“英”、“记”等字。
自辛亥革命之后，淮剧随着大批的淮剧艺人进入苏南和上海等大城市发展，淮剧进入从农村走向城市，从草台转入戏馆出演江淮戏的阶段，由此“徽夹可”的时代就结束了。
The Formation of Huai Opera
Playlet in Northern Jiangsu
Playlet in Northern Jiangsu is one of names of Huai Opera, originated from folk Incense Playlet in Yancheng, Huai’an and so on places in Jiangsu Province, and developed by being integrated with Hui Opera and so on art forms. The name starts from performance activities of early northern Jiangsu area, Shanghai and so on places. Playlet in northern Jiangsu with “Hui-Jia-Ke” is influenced by Hui opera, of which “Hui” refers Hui Opera, especially distinguished “Hui Troup in Lixiahe” with local features, and “Ke” refers to San-Ke-Zi Playlet, more accurately, eastern Huai Opera of Lixiahe area.
As for melody, northern playlet is divided into “eastern” and “western” lines. Eastern playlet in northern Jiangsu were active in the zone of Yancheng and Funing by Yellow Sea, belonging to lower river area. Main melody sung in early age was called “Lower River Tune”, whose structure and style were closely to ditty. The vocal system coupled hardness with softness. Later, after rising of “Lao-La Tune”(Tragic Tune) and “Free Tune”, they replaced “Lower River Tune” gradually.
Western playlet in northern Jiangsu was active in upper river area with Qingjiang, Huai’an, Baoying by canal. The main melody they sing is called as “Huai Tune”, also “Huai-Diao-Zi”. The tone of it is relatively rough and high-pitched, with vocalization similar to spoken language. It was provided with local features and earthy style of northern Jiangsu in strong and coarse narration.
As for structure of music form, playlet in northern Jiangsu was transformed from “tunes medley” to “rhythm and metrical variations”. In accompaniment, it drew “postures of playing gongs and drums”, “martial actions with gongs and drums” and accompanied tune names of Hui Opera, then increased by small drum, gong of Suzhou, suona horn, and so on musical equipments, enriching musical occasion of playlet in northern Jiangsu.
Playlet in northern Jiangsu devotes particular care to “the scale and pattern of introduction first, spoken parts the second, weeping the third, smiling the fourth”. For example, female role Zhou Erniang popular in Yancheng in the 1920s, drew stylized performance of Hui Opera. She has her own performing and moving manner, so there was a two-part allegorical saying in Yancheng, which says, “Zhou Erniang’s playlet—with many manners.” Hui Opera is good at performing martial art in a literary play with enthusiastic presentation, while playlet in northern Jiangsu absorbed martial art of Hui Opera and combined it with acrobatics during incense playlet period, cultivating a group of famous actors specialized in martial art. “Pa-Gan” (climbing, sliding, standing upside down on bamboo pole, etc.), “Fei-Cha” (moving fork-shape iron rings by muscles), “Dan-Dao skill” (using weapons by chopping, sweeping, pricking, hanging, etc. in battle scenes) and so on martial art were well-known at that time. For professional roles, playlet in northern Jiangsu developed “Sheng, Dan, Jing, Chou” (male, female, painted, and buffoon roles) and so on full roles. For clothes, playlet in northern Jiangsu adopted clothes and dressing-up of Hui Opera. “Jing role is with facial makeups, and there were suitcases putting into helmets, robe pleats, shoes and boots, and accessories in categories”, so the suitcases were gradually completed. For repertoire, playlet in northern Jiangsu introduced a lot of Pao-Dai playlet (playlet with sashes by Chinese boxing), Kao-Ba playlet (playlet with armour by martial art), Hongsheng playlet (playlet with old male wearing red and yellow painted face), to “make a big play a small one”, like Zhangliang Bid Farewell to the Officialdom, Mount Baiyun, Tour of Wumiao, Scroll of Hundred Forms of the Characters for Longevity, The Stratagem of the Empty City, Battles by Pan River, and so on. Under the influence of Hui Opera, playlet in northern Jiangsu was gradually formed traditional repertoire “Nine Lians, Thirteen Yings, and Seventy-two Jis”, for the names of those plays are all with “Lian”, “Ying”, “Ji” and so on Chinese characters.
Since after the Revolution of 1911, Huai Opera was developed in southern Suzhou, Shanghai and so on metropolises along with a large group of artists of Huai Opera. It walked from the stage of rural places to big cities, from simple stages to theatre houses. Then the age of “Hui-Jia-Ke” was finished.
淮剧的融合
淮剧的形成，比较一致的认识是：清末民初之际，三可子戏渐趋活跃，受到苏北观众的欢迎，广泛吸收了香火戏、僮子戏与唱门叹词的民间艺术，形成了略具规模的江北小戏。接着，通过二十年代的“徽夹可”与三十年代的“京夹淮”的阶段，吸收了徽剧与京剧的表演方法和剧目，发展成为具有独特个性的“江淮戏”。1952年，上海淮剧团赴京演出时，正式定名为“淮剧”。
淮剧的融合，应该说是江北小戏的东、西两大支流合流的结果。东西路的江北小戏，风格各异，特色鲜明，形成淮剧的两大支流。
大约在1943年前后，出身于阜宁草埝口的“下河”水班艺人杨金花，初到“上河”，搭刘玉琴的班子。当时，“上河”很多观众，迷恋乡土气息浓厚的淮调，不愿意听杨金花的“下河调”，终于铩羽而归。后来，杨金花吸取了西路“淮调”高亢、激越的特点，并和东路抒情、柔美的演唱风格有机结合，融为一体，创造了“抢板夺字”的“淮调板式结构”，行腔流畅，韵味醇厚，别具一格。于是，她第二次又去“上河”搭班演唱，一时号称“软淮蹦”，轰动了两淮城乡。
杨金花的演出成功，沟通了上、下河艺人之间的长期合作，互相学习，逐步使上、下河的两大支流汇合成为一家，打出了“江淮戏”的统一旗帜。
因此，在谈到淮剧的发源地，通常便认为“东路”是盐、阜地区，“西路”是清、淮、宝一带。
The Integration of Huai Opera
The generally accepted view on the origins of Huai Opera is that, San-Ke-Zi Playlet became increasingly popular among audiences in northern Jiangsu during the late Qing Dynasty and early Republic of China. It absorbed elements from folk arts, like Incense Playlet, Tong-Zi Playlet, and Men-Tan-Ci singing, gradually developing into a small-scale theatrical style known as Playlet in Northern Jiangsu.
Then, through the the stage of “Hui-Jia-Ke” in 1920s and of “Jing-Jia-Huai” (Huai Opera influenced by Peking Opera) in 1930s, it was further developed by adopting performance methods and repertoires from Hui Opera and Peking Opera, eventually maturing into a distinctive regional opera—Jianghuai Opera. In 1952, when the Shanghai Huai Opera Troupe performed in Beijing, the art form was officially named as “Huai Opera”.
Huai Opera’s integration can be attributed to the convergence of two major regional branches of Playlet in Northern Jiangsu— eastern and western styles— each with distinct characteristics.
Around 1943, Yang Jinhua, an artist from the “Lower River” tradition in Funing’s Caoniankou, joined Liu Yuqin’s troupe in the “Upper River” region. Initially, audiences in “Upper River”, accustomed to the earthy Huai melodies, rejected Yang’s “Lower River Tune” singing style, leading to her unsuccessful debut. Later, Yang Jinhua skillfully integrated the vigorous, high-pitched Huai tunes of the western tradition with the lyrical and graceful eastern singing techniques, creating a unique “melodic structure in Huai tune” --“Qiang Ban Duo Zi”, which is a beat-rushing and word-seizing style. Her refined and expressive vocal style, now called “Ruan Huai Beng” (Soft Huai Rhythm), captivated audiences during her second tour in Upper River, causing a sensation across both regions.
Yang Jinhua’s success bridged the gap between Upper River and Lower River artists, fostering long-term collaboration and mutual learning. This gradually unified the two branches under the banner of Jianghuai Opera.
When it refers to origin of Huai Opera, it’s usually regarded that “Eastern Line” points to Yancheng and Funing area, but “Western Line” points to Qing, Huai and Bao area.
