Yiyang Opera: New voices for An Ancient Art 江西弋阳腔：戏曲活化石的新生代和传承

On a summer night, the resonant and ethereal sounds of traditional opera fill the air above Yiyang County, Shangrao City, Jiangxi Province. This is the Yiyang Tune, revered as the progenitor of high-pitched singing styles in Chinese opera. Xu Xiaofang, a municipal-level intangible cultural heritage (ICH) inheritor and the lead singer, is dedicated to preserving this ancient art form. "Master Lin Xihuai is my role model on this learning and forward path," she stated.

夏夜，江西上饶弋阳县上空回荡着高亢空灵的戏曲声。这正是被誉为中国戏曲高腔鼻祖的弋阳腔。市级非遗传承人徐小芳作为主唱，正为传承这门古老艺术贡献力量，她表示：“林西怀老师是我学习、前进路上的榜样。”

The Yiyang Tune has profoundly influenced over 40 opera genres, including Hui Opera and Peking Opera. Lin Xihuai, a national representative ICH inheritor, stands as an eminent figure in this art. In recent years, Shangrao City has placed great emphasis on protecting and transmitting the Yiyang Tune.

弋阳腔对徽剧、京剧等40多个剧种产生深远影响，其国家级非物质文化遗产代表性传承人林西怀是这门艺术的杰出代表。近年来，上饶市高度重视弋阳腔的保护与传承。

On January 1st of this year, a landmark regulation — the "Shangrao City Yiyang Tune Protection and Inheritance Regulations" — came into effect. This is Jiangxi Province's first local regulation dedicated to protecting and inheriting opera, providing robust legal safeguards for the preservation and development of the Yiyang Tune. The enactment of this regulation underscores the local government's resolve to safeguard this cultural treasure.

今年1月1日，一项具有里程碑意义的法规——《上饶市弋阳腔保护传承条例》正式实施。这是江西省首部戏曲保护传承地方性法规，为弋阳腔的存续与发展提供了坚实的法治保障。该条例的出台，体现了地方政府对守护这一文化瑰宝的决心。

The key to inheritance lies with people. The Yiyang Secondary Specialized School has specifically established a Yiyang Tune performance major, innovatively adopting a "dual-tutor system" that pairs ICH inheritors with professional teachers. This initiative has yielded significant results: to date, the school has trained over 60 specialized students, with 12 of them joining professional troupes, infusing this ancient opera form with invaluable youthful vitality.

传承的关键在于人。弋阳中等专业学校专门设立了弋阳腔表演专业，创新采用“非遗传承人+专业教师”的双导师制教学模式。这一举措成效显著，截至目前，该校已培养出60余名专业学员，其中12人已加入专业剧团，为这门古老剧种注入了宝贵的青春力量。

Advancing Inheritance and Innovation:

传承与创新并进:

The transmission of the Yiyang Tune extends beyond stages and classrooms. During the "Jiangxi is a Great Place · New Chapter in ICH Inheritance" — Let the World Discover the Grand Beauty of Shangrao online promotional campaign launched on July 17th, the Yiyang Opera, as a key ICH calling card for Shangrao, showcased its unique charm to media representatives and influencers from across the nation and overseas.

弋阳腔的传承不仅限于舞台和课堂。在7月17日启动的“江西是个好地方·非遗传承谱新章”——让世界发现大美上饶网络主题宣传活动中，弋阳腔作为上饶非遗的重要名片，向来自全国乃至海外的媒体和达人展示了其独特魅力。

Conclusion:From legislative safeguards to professional talent cultivation, from stage performances to campus popularization, Shangrao City is employing multi-dimensional measures to breathe vigorous new life into the ancient Yiyang Opera for the modern era. As evidenced by the dedication of inheritors like Xu Xiaofang and the participation of young students, the path of inheritance for this opera "living fossil" is growing ever broader.

结语：

从立法保障到专业人才培养，从舞台展示到校园普及，上饶市正通过多维度举措，让古老的弋阳腔在新时代焕发出蓬勃生机。正如传承人徐小芳的坚守，以及年轻学子们的加入，弋阳腔这一戏曲“活化石”的传承之路，正越走越宽广。

编辑/翻译：兰林怿