Xunyang Daoqing Shadow Play is a Han folk art in Ankang City, Shaanxi Province. It is the same as Guanzhong Daoqing Opera. It is one of the operas that is a transition from rap music to "shadow play" and is mainly based on banqiang, combined with local minor tunes and other local opera cards. Daoqing is the main opera of Xunyang Shadow Play. According to the "Xunyang Drama Records" published in October 1987, Daoqing originated from Taoist songs such as "Chengtian" and "Jiuzhen" in the Tang Dynasty. It uses Taoist stories as the theme and promotes the idea of transcendence. It was originally a migration song. Daoqing is also called shadow play, small drama, etc. It is mainly popular in Xunyang and Guanzhong. The vast area with similar pronunciation. It is said that as early as 1628 to 1644 AD (during the Chongzhen period of the Ming Dynasty), a man named Bai Mi Chong brought Daoqing Opera from Guanzhong to Shangxian and spread it to Ankang and Xunyang. In 1760 (the 25th year of Emperor Qianlong's reign in the Qing Dynasty), Lai Shikui, a native of Ankang West Road, learned Daoqing Opera from Guanzhong. After returning, he established a Daoqing shadow puppetry troupe and hired people to organize the repertoire for mobile performances. Since then, the Daoqing shadow puppetry has become more and more popular and widely spread. From 1851 to 1874 (during the Xianfeng and Tongzhi periods), the Zhao family troupe in Xunyang was well-known far and wide and was active all year round (recorded in the Ankang Region Volume of Shaanxi Drama Chronicles). According to the Xunyang County Chronicles published in 1996, during the Republic of China period, Zhang Xiwazi in the county seat was the most influential, and there was a saying among the people that "shadow puppets fight, and Xiwazi speaks." It is said that Li Xiaofeng, a famous official in Xunyang at that time, was very impressed by Xiwazi's singing of "Bai Yu Nu Gua Hua", saying that "the words were elegant and the singing was graceful." Another shadow puppet artist who was as famous as Zhang Xiwazi was Pang Shitang, who had the same teacher as Zhang Xiwazi (Pang's father). Pang Shitang learned from his father since he was young. He was proficient in everything, whether it was "blocking the door" or "scene" (i.e., civil and military scenes). After the founding of the People's Republic of China, Xunyang Daoqing received attention and developed better. In the process of moving from "Liangzi" to the big stage, Daoqing art has been comprehensively and effectively inherited, innovated and developed in terms of repertoire, music, performance, and stage art, which has brought a new situation to Daoqing drama. The lyrics of Xunyang Daoqing shadow puppetry are mostly "seven-character" and "cross" sentences. The main singing styles are: [Anban] (divided into soft and hard), [Manban], [Langtou], [Erliuban] (or "Liushui"), [Daiban] (i.e., sharp board), [Gunbai], [Dinggangdiao], [Daokezi] and more than ten other types. Some folk songs are sometimes inserted according to needs. There are more than ten types of string music: [Dots of Flowers] [Young Lady Willow] [Dressing Table] [Parasitic Grass] [Wind Like Pine] [Sweeping the Buddhist Hall] [Big Open Door] [Small Open Door] [Snowflakes Flying], etc. There are more than ten types of suona music: [Clear Water Order] [Big Open Door] [Glass Cup] [General Order] [Lu Mao Order] [Four Combinations Four] [Three Guns] [Da Deng Dian] [Man Jiang Hong] [Snowflakes Flying] [Dressing Table] [Big Ending] [Small Ending] [Playing with Children], etc. There are more than ten types of percussion music: [Take Off Boots] [Ran Shi Jiao] [Golden Money Flower] [Pumpkin Wan] [Going Up the Mountain Ridge] [Going Down the Mountain Ridge] [Slow Five Hammers] [Holding Hammers] [Fan Shan Yao Zi], etc. In the early days, the accompanying instruments included fishing drums, leather strings, bangzi, and bells. Later, suona, banhu, and bamboo flute were added. Most of the accompaniment instruments are played by two different people: one drummer plays both the fishing drum and the bell, one person plays the right-tune pixian (tuned to the fifth, with the inner string as so and the outer string as re), one person plays the counter-tune alto banhu (tuned to the fifth, with the inner string as do and the outer string as so), one bamboo flute (also plays suona), one bangzi, and other bronze instruments (gong, cymbals, small gong) are played by the pixian and banhu. Accomplished artists pay great attention to the coordination of singing and instrumental music. Their singing portrays characters and expresses the plot in a rich and delicate manner, which may be high-spirited, lingering, angry, sad, happy, or humorous, with ups and downs, making people forget themselves and fall in love. The instruments respond to the tunes and set off the atmosphere accurately. They may arrange the formation, fight fiercely, have deep feelings or hatred, be quiet, noisy, grand, or delicate, all of which are just right. The most distinctive tune of Daoqing is "Mahuang". After each style of singing, all the artists on the stage sing in unison. Its rhyme is gentle, its tune is clear, its momentum is smooth, and its emotion is deep. It is sung every quiet night, echoing in the streets and alleys, lingering in the countryside, and it can be said that it will not stop for three days. Xunyang is located at the junction of the north and the south. Its special geographical location has created a culture that is compatible with the north and the south. Xunyang folk opera has rich tunes, diverse forms, and different styles. Xunyang Daoqing Shadow Play is a folk opera with a unique artistic style circulated in Xunyang County. It is the second batch of intangible cultural heritage protection projects in Shaanxi Province. Its content and form, subject matter and genre, style and color all reflect the characteristics of richness, compatibility and uniqueness. 1. Xunyang Daoqing Shadow Play has been popular in rural areas for a long time. Influenced by other folk arts, it still retains many folk songs and performance forms. It is mainly rap, euphemistic and pleasant, showing a simple, natural and harmonious unique style. 2. In terms of singing, the "door-blocking" artist sings all the roles by himself. What's more special is that after each singing, there is a harmony release, commonly known as "release", and all the artists on the stage sing a line together, with a gentle voice, a broken tune, a smooth momentum, and a deep emotion. The singing of Xunyang County Daoqing depicts characters and expresses the plot in a rich and delicate manner, or high and passionate, low and lingering, joy, anger, sorrow, and joy, ups and downs. All of them are vivid and make people feel emotional. The musical instruments are connected and sent to the tune, setting off the atmosphere, which is accurate and appropriate. Xunyang Daoqing Shadow Play is a very precious national folk cultural heritage. Protecting and inheriting Xunyang's excellent folk art is of great significance and role in implementing the national policies and guidelines for strengthening the protection of intangible cultural heritage, promoting excellent national culture, studying Hanshui culture and Shaanxi folk culture, showing local cultural characteristics, inspiring the broad masses of people to love their hometown and love life, enriching the spiritual and cultural life of urban and rural people, and changing the relatively silent situation of rural culture.