Quick Answer: What Is Gaojia Opera?
Gaojia opera (高甲戏, Gāojiǎxì) is a theater tradition of southern Fujian, closely associated with Quanzhou. Its chou (丑, chǒu), or comic roles, can lead a story. In some parts, the actor’s movement recalls that of a puppet.[1][2][3]
- Place: The form developed in the Minnan, or southern Fujian, cultural region.[1][2]
- Sound: Quanzhou speech and local tune traditions help give it a regional sound.[2]
- Acting: Comic parts range from young gentlemen to figures who move like puppets.[1][4]
A comic role may carry the main action. Pay attention to what changes in the character’s movement when an encounter turns awkward.
A character trying to look important may pause a little too long or move with conspicuous stiffness. In Gaojia opera, the way a person occupies the stage can make the audience see the distance between the rank they claim and the character they show.
From Southern Fujian Processions to Theater
One early strand of the form is associated with processions in southern Fujian featuring figures from Water Margin (水浒传, Shuǐhǔ Zhuàn). Amateur troupes later acted out stories around Song Jiang (宋江, Sòng Jiāng), a figure from the novel. The name Gaojia opera appeared toward the end of the Qing dynasty as the repertoire and troupe system developed.[1][2]
The staged repertory broadened to include court plays, stories set in domestic rooms and comedies. Performers drew on other local stage arts, including puppet theater. Gaojia circulated in southern Fujian and also reached audiences in Taiwan and Southeast Asia.[2][3]
How Quanzhou Speech and Music Shape the Sound
In the Quanzhou tradition, performers use the local speech variety for spoken lines. The singing can draw on Nanyin (南音, nányīn) and other local tunes. The Jinjiang branch also uses Quanzhou-style string and wind accompaniment.[2][4]
Listen for the shift from the timing of a spoken exchange to the longer shape of a sung phrase. A scene can make the relation between dialogue and melody clear before a listener understands the words.[2]
Why the Comic Roles Stand Out
Ke Xianxi (柯贤溪, Kē Xiánxī) developed the Ke School (柯派, Kē pài) of comic acting in Jinjiang. The school includes types such as the ragged clown, the young gentleman and the puppet-style clown (傀儡丑, kuǐlěi chǒu). It also includes female comic parts. These are more specific distinctions within the broader comic role category.[1][4]
The puppet-style part brings aspects of puppetry into the movement of an actor. Look at how the character holds a posture or moves from one pose into the next. A conspicuously held pose can make an attempt at composure look comical.[2][4]
What Promoted Three Ranks Makes Fun Of
In Promoted Three Ranks (连升三级, Lián Shēng Sān Jí), a wealthy family’s son, Jia Fugu (贾福古, Jiǎ Fúgǔ), passes himself off as a deceased man who had passed a provincial examination. The mistaken identity and his subsequent rise in rank make the examination system and official advancement targets of the comedy.[3][5]
Watch for who accepts the character’s claim to status and what happens when he has to inhabit that status in public. Their willingness to believe him gives the joke a target beyond Jia’s own pretensions.[5]
FAQs About Gaojia Opera
Is Gaojia opera a form of puppetry?
Gaojia is performed by actors. Some comic parts borrow aspects of puppet movement, so an actor can evoke the look of a figure manipulated on a puppet stage.[2][4]
Where did the Ke School perform outside Fujian?
Ke Xianxi performed in the Philippines in 1935 at the invitation of an overseas association.[4]
資料來源
[1] China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network. Gaojia Opera, Ke School
[2] Southern Fujian Cultural Ecology Protection Area. Gaojia Opera in Quanzhou
[3] Fujian Provincial Government. Gaojia Opera Blends Comic and Serious Traditions
[4] Jinjiang Intangible Cultural Heritage. Gaojia Opera, Ke School
[5] Quanzhou Gaojia Opera Troupe. Promoted Three Ranks