Shandong’s folk culture can be said to have a long history. Due to various reasons such as immigration, transportation, and job hunting, there have been constant exchanges between regions, as well as collisions and evolution between different cultures, forming a tolerant situation that combines absorption and openness. The folk culture brought by immigration has had a profound impact on Shandong folk customs. Today we will appreciate the famous and popular culture of Shandong!
1、 Paper Cuttings in Shandong
Paper Cuttings has now become China’s intangible cultural heritage, so what are the characteristics of Paper Cuttings in Shandong? Paper Cuttings paper cutting can be roughly divided into two categories in terms of modeling style. One is the bold and unconstrained style of the Bohai Bay area, which is the same as the Paper Cuttings of other provinces in the Yellow River basin. One is the more distinctive Paper Cuttings in the coastal area of Jiaodong, Shandong Province, which is mainly composed of lines and combines lines and surfaces. It seems to follow the same line with the elaborate and elaborate style of Shandong Han Dynasty stone carvings. With its dense decorative means, it makes the simple and cheerful appearance more plump and rich.
2、 Shandong Lv Opera
Boxing County is the birthplace of Lv Opera. Lv Opera originated in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, gradually evolving from folk miscellaneous tunes to a unique local opera genre. The singing style and performing arts of Lv Opera contain a strong rural atmosphere, and many excellent plays vividly reflect the folk customs of Qilu. The content is healthy and lively, the lyrics are humorous and witty, and have high ideological and artistic qualities. Therefore, it is widely appreciated by both the refined and the popular, not only in northern China, but also throughout the country, becoming a famous local opera loved by millions of people. The city and county Lv Opera troupes have performed nearly 20 dramas over the years, including traditional dramas such as “Stepmother Beats the Child”, “Three Beats and Four Advises”, “Li Huaiyu Borrows His Wife”, “Wang Dingbao Borrows His Dang”, “Borrowing New Year”, “Jingtai Hui”, “Sister in law”, and modern dramas such as “Sister in law Li remarries”, “Little black marries”, “Mid Autumn Night”, “Both Sides of the Yi River”, “Are willing to”, “Half the sky”, “sisters across the wall”, and “Wang Xie invites relatives”.
3、 Shandong Yangge
It has outstanding regional characteristics, and in terms of distribution, it is most widely spread in western Shandong, northern Shandong, and the Jiaodong Peninsula. According to incomplete statistics, there are about 30 different types of yangko in Shandong Province, and the overall style of yangko is relatively uniform. The forms of expression can be roughly divided into three types: ground yangko, inch yangko, and stilt yangko. Among them, stilt yangko has the longest history, widest distribution, and simple performance form. Inch Yangge symbolizes the small feet of women before the 1940s, which gradually disappeared after the 1940s and mostly transformed into ground Yangge. The performance forms of Yangge dance are diverse, and role-playing can be divided into old, middle-aged, young, and young roles. Generally, stilts and Yangge dance are integrated into corresponding performances, and they can play heroic figures from various dynasties and reflect folk customs. Among them, the most important ones are “Guzi Yangge”, “Jiaozhou Yangge”, and “Haiyang Yangge”, known as the “three major Yangge” and “three major folk dances” in Shandong. Its overall style is rough and unrestrained for men, fully embodying masculinity, while women are charming and flexible, full of subtle beauty.
4、 Jiaozhou Yangge
Jiaozhou Yangge, also known as Di Yangge or Run Yangge, is a traditional folk dance in Shandong Province, known locally as Twisted Waist and Three Bends. It is one of the three major Yangge dances. Jiaozhou Yangge has a history of more than 230 years. In the Qing Dynasty, two families surnamed Zhao and Ma from Baoyan Village in Jiaozhou fled to the east in 1764, begging and singing along the way, gradually forming a form of dancing and singing at the same time. After returning to his hometown, the tradition of improvement was passed down for many years, and by 1863, it had taken shape with certain forms of dance, singing, and accompaniment.
5、 Guzi Yangge
The Guzi Yangge originated in Shanghe County, Jinan, with a history of more than two thousand years. According to records, in the fourth year of Han Hongjia (17 BC), the river embankment commander Xu Shang excavated the Shanghe River, and the people spontaneously danced with umbrellas to celebrate the completion of the river. Guzi Yangge is a folk art form in which local people sing and dance to celebrate a bountiful harvest. The annual Yuanxiao (Filled round balls made of glutinous rice-flour for Lantern Festival) is the climax of Guzi Yangko performance. The Yangge dance team is huge, with a large number of people and different roles. The drums and gongs are playing together, making it very lively.
6、 Sacrifice to the Sea
The Sea Festival is a traditional festival formed due to the worship of nature. The most famous sea festival is the traditional sea festival located in Tianheng Town, Jimo City, Qingdao City, Shandong Province, China. It is commonly known as the “Tianheng Sea Festival” and has a history of more than 500 years. It is the largest sea festival in northern China. The custom of worshipping the sea is a unique regional fishing culture and folk cultural activity created by fishermen in their long life of farming, herding, and fishing. After the annual Sea Festival, fishermen start to sail into the sea and prepare to fish after completing preparations such as repairing boats and purchasing fishing gear.
