Liu Guangju: cultural custodian
2023-05-31 20:05:24
By Tan Maolin, Yichang International Communication Studio
Ziqiu Town is located near the Qing River in Changyang Tujia Autonomous County. A hub of Tujia traditional culture, it has hosted 47 sessions of the Ethnic Culture and Art Festival and has won "Home of Chinese Folk Culture and Art" awards two sessions in a row.
One of the main reasons Tujia culture is thriving in the town is Liu Guangju. For the last 33 years, this vibrant 53-year-old has been passing on Tujia culture, helping train over 4,000 folk artists.
In May, she was elected 2022 Jingchu Role Model of the Year, in recognition of her outstanding achievements in cultural preservation.
Ziqiu Town has a large population of Tujia people and several forms of "intangible cultural heritage". When Liu became director of the Ziqiu Ethnic Culture Museum, she raised funds to build a "National Culture Exhibition" area, which is free to visitors.
The exhibition uses modern technology to present dynamic performances of Sa Ye Er Ho – a Tujia song and dance ritual typically performed at funerals – and Nanqu folk songs, which are accompanied by traditional Chinese string instruments. Popular with local people, the museum has also attracted experts and scholars from all over the country.
Nanqu songs, which have been accorded national-level Intangible Cultural Heritage status, were once in danger of dying out. To bolster interest in them, Liu organized training sessions and competitions.
The Culture Museum also raised funds to encourage folk artists to create new Nanqu works which have gone on to win awards and receive widespread acclaim.
Ziqiu Town has over 4,000 folk artists and 67 folk art troupes which perform all over the country.
In the town, elementary and secondary school students have culture lessons once a week. Liu compiled the teaching textbooks and filmed teaching videos for Sa Ye Er Ho. She selected 15 outstanding folk artists to teach traditional songs and dances on campus and they have trained more than 7,000 "young inheritors" of ethnic culture.
Ziqiu Town is located near the Qing River in Changyang Tujia Autonomous County. A hub of Tujia traditional culture, it has hosted 47 sessions of the Ethnic Culture and Art Festival and has won "Home of Chinese Folk Culture and Art" awards two sessions in a row.
One of the main reasons Tujia culture is thriving in the town is Liu Guangju. For the last 33 years, this vibrant 53-year-old has been passing on Tujia culture, helping train over 4,000 folk artists.
In May, she was elected 2022 Jingchu Role Model of the Year, in recognition of her outstanding achievements in cultural preservation.
Ziqiu Town has a large population of Tujia people and several forms of "intangible cultural heritage". When Liu became director of the Ziqiu Ethnic Culture Museum, she raised funds to build a "National Culture Exhibition" area, which is free to visitors.
The exhibition uses modern technology to present dynamic performances of Sa Ye Er Ho – a Tujia song and dance ritual typically performed at funerals – and Nanqu folk songs, which are accompanied by traditional Chinese string instruments. Popular with local people, the museum has also attracted experts and scholars from all over the country.
Nanqu songs, which have been accorded national-level Intangible Cultural Heritage status, were once in danger of dying out. To bolster interest in them, Liu organized training sessions and competitions.
The Culture Museum also raised funds to encourage folk artists to create new Nanqu works which have gone on to win awards and receive widespread acclaim.
Ziqiu Town has over 4,000 folk artists and 67 folk art troupes which perform all over the country.
In the town, elementary and secondary school students have culture lessons once a week. Liu compiled the teaching textbooks and filmed teaching videos for Sa Ye Er Ho. She selected 15 outstanding folk artists to teach traditional songs and dances on campus and they have trained more than 7,000 "young inheritors" of ethnic culture.
