Yang Chaozhong: inheritor of Gelao Nuo opera

我叫杨朝忠，仡佬族，

I’m Yang Chaozhong, a member of the Gelao ethnic group.

是仡佬族傩戏国家级代表性传承人。

I’m a national-level representative inheritor of Gelao Nuo opera.

我们仡佬族是贵州最古老的民族（之一）。

The Gelao ethnic group is one of the oldest ethnic groups in southwest China’s Guizhou province.

因为竹王是我们民族的祖先，

Our ancestor was the King of Bamboo,

所以这个（民族）就被奉为竹的民族。

so we are regarded as an ethnic group of bamboo.

仡佬族的傩戏现在是两千多年的历史，

Gelao Nuo opera has a history of more than 2,000 years.

民间俗称“跳大牙巴”。

It’s commonly known as the dance of Dayaba.

因为流传的渊源很古老，现在列为戏曲的活化石，

Due to its ancient origins, it’s regarded as a living fossil of Chinese opera.

最初的傩戏，就是民间祈福意义，表演就是在民间乡下的堂屋里面，

Nuo opera was originally a blessing ceremony held in the central hall of a country house.

现在我们道真仡佬族傩戏民间艺术

Now in our Daozhen Gelao and Miao Autonomous County, we perform Nuo opera

就已经搬到民间的乡下，老百姓家，公益活动的舞台上表演。

in the countryside, at people’s houses, and on the stage of charity activities.

现在的面具是三十五张。

There’re now 35 types of Nuo opera masks.

以前是山王、土地、将军，

In the past, performers wore masks symbolizing the king of the mountains, the god of the land, and the general.

这些都是活口的，都是能够动的面具，其外的一些面具，就不是动的面具了。

These three types of masks are movable, while others are not.

所以我们就是有动的面具，有不动的面具，整个形成一体共同的表演。

So we have movable and unmovable masks, all of which make up the performance of Nuo opera.

我们这个上刀梯也叫做过刀桥，

Our tradition of climbing the ladder of knives is also called crossing the bridge of knives.

起源就是生下来小孩，通过过刀桥上刀梯，祈福他的娃儿平安顺利的成长，

It was originally a blessing ritual, praying that newborn babies would grow up safe and sound.

是在仡佬族傩戏当中，不可缺少的一种民间仪式，

It’s an indispensable part of the folk ritual in Gelao Nuo opera.

2008年，傩戏列入国家级保护项目以后，

Gelao opera was recognized as a national conservation project in 2008.

带到了英国、美国、韩国、俄罗斯，

Since then, it has been brought to the United Kingdom, the United States, South Korea, and Russia.

现在中国傩城建起来了以后，傩戏能够在傩城和各个地方都能够表演，

As Nuo city, a cultural resort, has been founded, people can see Nuo opera performances in both Nuo city and other places.

就是为了让我们的仡佬族傩戏永远传承下去，

In this way, our Gelao Nuo opera can be passed down,

使各国的游客都能看到道真的活化石。

and tourists from all over the world can see the living fossil in Daozhen County.

[ Editor: SRQ ]