Health and Wellness in Shanxi, Summer Retreat in Shanxi — Datong: Intangible Cultural Heritage Section

Intangible cultural heritage is a treasure scattered among the folk. With culture as the carrier and innovation as the driving force, as well as unique language and charm, Datong's intangible cultural heritage is blossoming with captivating allure.

01ErrentaiOpera

Errentai Opera, a national-level intangible cultural heritage commonly known as Errenban, mostly adopts the form of two singers, one in the dan (female) role and another in the chou (male clown) role. Its singing and tunes are characterized by beauty, freshness, elegance, and brightness. The singing often incorporates folk song melodies, with the original melodies evolving from northern Shanxi folk songs. The tunes are essentially instrumental adaptations of folk songs, incorporating many melodies from Jin Opera, folk wind and percussion music, and religious music.

02 Datong paper-cutting

As one of the three major schools of traditional Chinese folk paper-cutting, this national-level intangible cultural heritage stands out with its vivid composition, expressive representation, exquisite knife technique, sophisticated material selection and dyeing, as well as precise packaging and craftsmanship. It is hailed as "a unique masterpiece of Chinese folk art." It is not confined to the traditional hollow-out colorful patterns but has evolved to create various simulated paintings.

03 Luoluoqiang Opera

This national-level intangible cultural heritage features one person singing in the foreground while others provide backup vocals from the background, accompanied by the sound of "luoluo yoyo." The repertoire is rich in the flavor of life, with lively and vivid lines that are easy to understand and strong in both singing and storytelling, reminiscent of traditional Chinese folk art. The performance form is lively, and the singing is melodious and pleasant to the ear.

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Source: Comprehensive collation by sx.china.com