Huaihai gong and drum were historically called "gonggu gong" and "gonggu gong and drum", also known as "singing books". It originated in Shuyang and was formed in the middle of the Qing Dynasty. It was popular in Shuyang, Guanyun, Guannan, Siyang, Huaiyin, Lianshui, Xiangshui, Lianyungang and other places. It is a kind of folk art form that is very popular among the masses in the vast rural areas of northern Jiangsu. According to folk legend, during the Eastern Zhou Dynasty, King Zhuang of Chu asked people to make drums with bamboo tubes as musical instruments. They played drums for entertainment when farmers worked in the fields, and later compiled stories to entertain people. Later, King Zhuang accepted disciples to pass on his art, and his disciples scattered all over the country. Legend has it that there was an imperial physician named Cui Gong under the Zhuangzi Palace. Because he was harmed by treacherous officials, Cui Gong thought that storytelling was a good livelihood. Later, Cui Gong made a living by storytelling. Later generations called it "Zhuangwang Gonggu" or "Cui Gonggu". There was a story recorded in the book "Jing Zhong Shuo Yue". Song Yue Fei went to Beijing to take the imperial examination. He visited Xiangguo Temple with Niu Gao and saw that everyone was sitting together listening to the artists' storytelling. The artist beat the gong with one hand and the drum with the other, and the crowd cheered in unison when they heard it. It can be seen that there were already gong and drum storytellers at that time. The book says: At that time, storytellers had ready-made bamboo sticks. After each performance or segment, someone would collect a string of money and give it to the artist. The artist was called "Nachuanzi", also known as "Naqianzi". This form of performing arts has been used to this day. Over the past hundred years, there have been many schools of Huaihai gong and drum, and the branches are widely spread. Around the middle of the Ming Dynasty, there were ten major schools of folk art from northern Jiangsu to Shandong, namely Zhang, Sha, Yang, Han, Shao, Li, Gao, Nan, Chai, and Gui. Huaihai gong and drum belonged to the "Li School". In the late Qing Dynasty, there were four major schools, namely Dongwang School, Xiwang School, Tan School, and Fang School. There are many books sung by artists, which are generally divided into two categories: one is traditional programs, which are mostly historical figures and historical stories, which are divided into two types: version books and non-version books; the other is the books newly compiled by artists in modern and contemporary times to cooperate with current political propaganda. Cao Youlin, the first-generation inheritor of Siyang Huaihai gong and drum, has dozens of disciples, including Zhang Tongsheng, Bian Tongyin (a blind man), and other famous artists. The singer wears a copper gong (7-inch Su gong) on his left wrist and hits it with his left hand; the drum is placed on a stool (drum diameter 5 inches) and hits it with his right hand. According to the needs of rap, the gong or drum may be struck, or the gong and drum may sound together, or the rap may be performed in a fast or slow manner, with rhythm and focus. Its singing style is relatively monotonous, with more speaking than singing. There are two types of singing styles: one is "floating tune" and the other is "old work tune". Floating tune is mostly used for needlework plaques and lamenting content, while old work tune is mostly used for sword and horse lyrics and "calling head", "sad tune", "happy tune", "Yangzi sound", "rolling board", "counting board", etc. When an artist tells a story, he usually has to start with a short segment, called "book head", which is often unrelated to the main story and is intended to attract and wait for the audience. Artists do not have a fixed performance location, and they often sing in the streets on market days in rural areas. They rely on "sign holders" to ask for coins from the audience. After the establishment of the democratic regime in 1941, Siyang established the "Artists National Salvation Association". Through the art form of Huaihai gongs and drums, combined with rap ancient books, many new pieces and new chapters were compiled to carry out anti-Japanese, anti-civil war and anti-feudal propaganda. Huaihai gongs and drums have a unique form, beautiful singing, and are easy to speak and perform. They do not require high performance venues. They can be performed on a large stage with brilliant lights and gorgeous scenery, or in a farmyard, a village, a wheat field or any venue that can accommodate a few people, dozens or hundreds of people. Therefore, this form of folk art is popular in the countryside because it is easy to understand and popular. It coexists with suffering and current problems, blends with songs and laughter, and shines with punishing evil and promoting good. It can be called a unique local art, deeply loved by the broad masses of farmers, and has long been rooted in the people. The 1950s to the late 1980s were the active and glorious period of Huaihai gongs and drums. Since the 1990s, due to the popularization of television networks, people's culture has become increasingly diversified. In addition, under the market economy, people's pace has gradually accelerated, so the interest in Huaihai gongs and drums has gradually faded. Old artists have gradually aged, and new artists have been unable to keep up, and Huaihai gongs and drums have begun to shrink. At present, Huaihai gongs and drums have been listed as a provincial intangible cultural heritage masterpiece, and it has written a great deal for the history of folk literature and art in northern Jiangsu. Information source: Siyang County People's Government Office (No pictures yet, welcome to provide.) Information source: Siyang County People's Government Office (No pictures yet, welcome to provide.)