Xianzhou Chordophone is a kind of traditional folk art. The name comes from the performer who has to play a chordophone while reciting along at the same time, hence, "Xianzhou Chordophone." The lyrics and rapping of this style convey a vivid ambience of everyday markets, mainly using urban slang and sometimes even lacking strict rhymes. Its themes cover a wide range, from heroes of yore to passionate romance.
In my humble opinion, Xianzhou Chordophone has the highest barrier to entry for any local folk art: Not only do prospective artists need to be nimble in speech, but they also have to be excellent performers. One solo performer has to play many characters, distinguishing each to the audience by using only recitation and rap.
Not just that, but it's called "Chordophone" for a reason: Extreme proficiency in playing the Xianzhou chordophone is naturally a key requirement. Despite having only three strings, a Xianzhou Chordophone performer can use them to subtly evoke thousands of different moods, scenes, and emotions. I'm not talking about merely stringing along on a chordophone here.
When I was young, I heard Master Qiju's chordophone tale "Jing Yuan's First Hunt". By "young", I was almost
Now, Master Qiju has already entered into the Hall of Karma. Some new performers have honed their craft over the centuries to also perform this masterpiece to perfection. But I truly still prefer and yearn to hear her rendition of "Jing Yuan's First Hunt."