Rock ‘n Roll Crosstalk & the Revival of a Uniquely Chinese Art Form

Xiangsheng (??) or “crosstalk” is a traditional Chinese art form that has undergone a revival in China over the past few years, particularly among artsy youth and even within the local indie music scene. At its core, crosstalk is a comedic performance that is characterized by rapid-fire bantering, filled with linguistic Chinese puns. Most often performed between two actors, the closest equivalent outside of China would be Abbott and Costello’s “Who’s on First?” sketch.

Crosstalk’s recent revival can be traced to the widespread media coverage starting in 2005 of the now famous crosstalk actor Guo Degang. Crosstalk’s new founded popularity has also lead to a renewed interest in Quyi, which also includes the traditional Chinese folk arts of ballad singing, story telling, comic dialogues, and clapper talks.

The earliest influence of Quyi culture and crosstalk on Chinese indie music can be heard in the music of He Yong, the son of a sanxian (three-string lute) player and himself one of the pioneers of modern Chinese rock.  Since the beginnings of rock in China, there have been plenty of other independent bands in Beijing that have tried to blend elements of Quyi music with more Western-derived sounds. These bands use dialect, folk instruments and melodies, and unique performance styles to give them a distinctly Chinese sound that has won them many fans of traditional Chinese culture. Most recently, apart from The Fools and Hou Yan, the most popular band of this genre is Nancheng Brother. (See below for a video performance of Nancheng Brother).

Nancheng Brother was formed in 2007 in Beijing’s Tianqiao area, a place that a hundred years earlier was the central gathering point for all of Beijing’s folk artists and sometimes called the birthplace of China’s “traditional underground art world.” Nancheng Brother has sparked huge interest among the China folk scene which has spilled over into other genres of the Chinese music world. [For example, the resemblance between modern Chinese hip-hop / rap and clapper talk is undeniable – the latter traditional art consisting of improvised talking or singing while keeping rhythm with wooden or bamboo paddles. Clapper talk was originally used by beggars to entertain people on the streets.] The band’s music brings together a wide range of influences including Quyi, Chinese folk music, and Chinese opera, as well as rock, reggae, funk, hip-hop and even electronic. The group is creating a totally new genre with these elements and while the music may seem very casual, the group practices diligently to perfect each performance piece.

The magic of Nancheng Brother is that it is able to deftly blend the traditional – Chinese quyi and opera – with modern Western styles, all without coming off as too extreme on either end. Of course, their solid fundamental music backgrounds and charisma on stage also help. The group hasn’t yet released an album and, interestingly, insists that their music must be heard and seen in person. To fully experience this “new” uniquely Chinese art form, the visual and audio senses can not be separated.

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