The Last Lineage Opera in Zhouguan Village

The Last Lineage Opera in Zhouguan Village
[the-last-lineage-opera-in-zhouguan-village--Film-list-image]
© Xiong
42 minutes / Colour / 2016
Directed by
Xun Xiong

Anthropologist Xun Xiong

Country of production China United States

Zhouguan, a Tunpu village in a multiethnic area of southwest China, is renowned for its performances of the Dixi exorcism operas. The village elders believe that they are descendants of ethnic Han military colonists in the early Ming Dynasty. When local businessmen and government officials began to take control of the staging of these plays, the elders felt that “authentic” performances were no longer possible. This film is a document of a performance of the Dixi opera in 2006 - planned to be the final ever performance.

In the 2017 RAI Film Fest Intangible Culture

Language and subtitles Chinese with English Subtitles

Location(s) depicted Zhouguan Village Anshun City Guizhou Province

Region Central Asia and Far East

Country China

Keywords Dance / Theatre / Performance Music / Ethnomusicology Festivals / Carnival Social Change