Suzhou Tanci

Suzhou Tanci

Suzhou Tanci is a national intangible cultural heritage.

　　Suzhou Tanci is a form of storytelling art characterized by an alternating mix of narration and singing, performed in the Suzhou dialect. It falls under the category of "minor storytelling" and originated and gained popularity in the Wu-speaking regions centered around Suzhou, including southeastern Jiangsu, northern Zhejiang, and Shanghai. It emerged around the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. As it belongs to the same storytelling profession as Suzhou Pinghua, the two once shared a common guild organization, and it has become customary among the public to collectively refer to them as "Suzhou Pingtan."

　　The performance of Suzhou Tanci typically emphasizes narration with intermittent singing. Singing is often accompanied by the sanxian (a three-stringed instrument) or pipa (a four-stringed lute), while wooden clappers may be used during narration to keep rhythm and capture attention. The musical tunes used in singing follow a rhythmic and melodic style known as the "storytelling tune," or "shudiao." Due to the development of various musical schools over time, this "shudiao" is also referred to as the "basic tune." In its early days, performances were usually carried out by a single male artist who played the sanxian solo, known as "single performance." Later, "double performance" with two artists and "triple performance" with three artists emerged.

　　Suzhou Tanci boasts a profound artistic tradition and highly developed skills. It emphasizes the "Four Arts": narration (shuo), humor (xue), instrumental accompaniment (tan), and singing (chang). "Shuo" refers to storytelling; "xue" means "delivering humor" or making the audience laugh; "tan" refers to instrumental accompaniment using the sanxian or pipa, which can be self-accompanied or used to support fellow performers; "chang" denotes singing. Among these, the methods of "shuo" are rich and varied, including narration, role-speaking, explanation, and commentary. Over time, artists have developed numerous techniques and styles such as guanbai (official speech), sibai (private speech), gubai (murmured speech), biaobai (declarative speech), chenbai (supporting speech), and tuobai (explanatory speech), enabling them to portray characters' thoughts, inner monologues, and dialogues, or to narrate, explain, and comment in the voice of the storyteller. Artists also draw on the performance techniques of Kunqu and Peking opera, using vocal modulation, physical movements, and facial expressions to "embody the narrative," conveying emotions and shaping characters. Aesthetically, Suzhou Tanci pursues "reason, flavor, fun, detail, and skill." "Reason" means coherence; "flavor" implies thoughtfulness; "fun" brings laughter; "detail" suggests elegance; and "skill" represents craftsmanship.

　　The repertoire of Suzhou Tanci is mainly composed of long-form stories. Traditional representative works include dozens of titles such as The Three Smiles, The Story of the Japanese Robe, The Gilded Phoenix, The Legend of the White Snake, The Jade Dragonfly, and The Pearl Pagoda. Early renowned artists include Wang Zhoushi, Chen Yuqian, Mao Changpei, Yu Xiushan, Lu Ruiting, Yao Yuzhang, Ma Rufei, Zhao Xiangzhou, and Wang Shiquan from the Qing dynasty. The late Qing and early Republican period saw the rise of many female performers. Since the 1930s, with the advent of radio broadcasting, Suzhou Tanci entered a golden age, featuring a rich variety of programs and diverse schools. Based on musical styles, there were more than ten distinct styles, such as the Shen (Jian’an) Tune, Xue (Xiaoqing) Tune, Wei (Yuxing) Tune, Xia (Hesheng) Tune, Zhou (Yuquan) Tune, Xu (Yunzhi) Tune, and Jiang (Yuquan) Tune.

　　After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, Suzhou Tanci underwent significant artistic advancement through the conscious efforts of artists to renew traditional works and create new ones. New programs continuously emerged, including long-form stories such as The White-Haired Girl, New Heroes and Heroines, Li Zicheng, The Song of Youth, Bitter Melon Flower, Red Crag, Wildfire in Spring Wind Battle the Ancient City, Red Seeds, Jiangnan Red, Seizing the Seal, and Li Shuangshuang. Medium-length and frequently performed standalone segments called “selected chapters” include Old Ground Protector, Hallway Child Snatch, Praying for Rain at Xuan Du, Courtyard Judgment, Angry Clash with Grain Boat, Nunnery Mother Recognition, as well as Must Repair the Huai River, Maritime Heroes, Lush Green Reeds, New Pipa Song, White-Robed Blood Grievance, and Empress with Big Feet.

　　However, since the late 20th century, Suzhou Tanci has faced a sharp decline in audiences, shrinking performance venues, a significant loss of artists, and existential challenges that urgently require rescue and support.