Hebei Wind & Drum Music (Funing)

（Translator: Liu Limin, Proofreader: You Jianmin）

On May 20th, 2006, a traditional music—Hebei Wind & Drum Music, a non-material legacy— was included in the first list of national intangible cultrual heritages issued by the State Council. On June 6th, 2006, it was included in the first list of provincial intangible cultrual heritages issued by Hebei Provincial Government. On January 21st, 2009, it was included in the first list of municipal intangible cultural heritages issued by Qinhuangdao Municipal Government.

There are many music tracks in Funing Wind & Drum Music, and there is a saying that Funing Wind & Drum Music has 14 sets of tunes and countless ditties. The extant music are categorized into five patterns: the folk wind and drum musicals, tunes handed down from the Han dynasty (202B.C.-220A.D), complex tunes, pastiche, and Yangko music, which add up to more than 5oo tracks. Funing Wind & Drum Music is played with unique techniques in various forms, including above-the-line, varied performing, drumming into words, tongue rolling, vibrato, imitation of three-stringed plucked instrument, imitation of bamboo flute and shifted tone, etc. Its style is rapid and strong, lively and humorous, fervent and witty, rich in country flavor.

In April, 2006, Funing County was named “Home of Chinese Song Blowing”, “Research Base of Chinese Song Blowing” by the Chinese Folk Artists Association and a grand opening ceremony was held. In July, 2006, Funing Wind & Drum Music won “Mountain Flower Award of Chinese Folk Art” in the first national show of folk songs. In June, 2007, Funing County was named “Home of Hebei Folk Art (Song Blowing)” by Hebei Provicial Department of Culture .