Quanzhou Wenling Southern Art
Quanzhou city, an ancient coastal city in Fujian Province, South-east of China, is among the first cities being proclaimed by the State Department as a famous historical and cultural city of China. It has been widely praised as “The Seaside Town of Zou and Lu”, Zou means the hometown of Mencius, Lu means the hometown of Confucius – the two ancient philosophers of China. From this high praise, one can easily sense what cultural prosperity Quanzhou enjoys. The vicissitude of history has left Quanzhou with not only splendid natural beauty, rich historical sites, but also cultural heritage such as folk customs and theatre art gems.
In order to preserve the rich cultural heritage, Wenling Women’s South Art Workshop, a dance group composed of only female dancers, was setup in 2004 under the sponsorship of Licheng District Government of the city. It aims at keeping alive their traditional folk-custom arts, by feasting the audience with beautiful dances that depicting the diversified charms of the ancient XunPu Women, HuiAn Women, and Tea-picking Women living in their localities. It also tries to show the audience some traditional performing techniques that is found in the Southern Theatre, such as the Feet-pressing Drum, the music of Southern Fujian ballads, even some Persian dances that were brought to Quanzhou in its ancient times.
First premiered to the public on Dec. 2004, the elegance and delicacy of their dance instantly won great recognition from their audience. It is not only their beauty that is appreciated, but also the essence of their cultural contents and unique local characteristics that are being eternally cherished. Coverage and reports by such media giants as China Central Television, Singapore TV, Hong Kong Takungpao, etc., has enhanced the reputation of the dance group far and wide.
Within one year, the dance group was invited to perform in Hong Kong three times, and numerous tours to other cities in China as well. Invitations also come from some South-eastern Asian Countries, such as Singapore and Philippines.They are going to be first introduced to Korea through BIPAF this year.
Credits
Group Director: Chen Jiantong, Ling Shunqing
Stage Manger: Li Bing, Zhu Huibin, Zhou Qiongqiong
General Director & Designer:Zhang Wenhui
Choreographer: Xie Nan/ Music: Wang Yang
Costume:Jiang Chunhua
Performers
Huang Jie, Wang Yuna, ,Wang Yuna, Huang Yanzhen, Liu Dongqing ,Fu Weili, Chen Xiaomei, Sun Yunbai, Zhang Xiufang, Chen Nanyan, Li Ruyu, Su Lin, Zhang Rongrong, Cai Chunxiang, Chen Xiaoli, Wu Yinlian, Jiang Xiaoxia, Yang Xiaoli, Chen Yingying, Chen Lulu, Shen Lina ,Chen Sixuan