The Transmission Lineage of Sai Opera in Tanyin Village, Shexian
The Sai Opera of Tanyin
Village in She County is an important component of the national intangible
cultural heritage project "Handan Sai Opera." Based on fieldwork and
documentary research, this paper takes the transmission lineage of Tanyin
Village's Sai Opera as its subject, tracing its historical origins and
developmental trajectory, examining the continuity of the Tang family's
artistic tradition, and exploring the reconstruction and evolution of the
transmission lineage following the intervention of intangible cultural heritage
protection policies. The transmission lineage of Tanyin Village's Sai Opera is
a product shaped by the interplay of familial craftsmanship, village society,
and state institutions. Its continuation relies not only on the oral
transmission and personal instruction within the Tang family but also on the
ritual support provided by Tanyin Society as the primary temple dedicated to
Nüwa. With the introduction of intangible cultural heritage protection systems,
the agents of transmission have shifted from natural family succession to
institutional recognition, the space of transmission has expanded from within
the village to broader public domains, and the audience has extended to include
youth and female groups. At the same time, the transmission lineage faces
practical challenges such as aging practitioners, changes in cultural ecology,
and the individualization of transmission agents, reflecting the complex
landscape of ritual-based traditional theater adapting to contemporary social
transformation.
