Yangko (Xiaohongmen Yangko)
Xiaohongmen "Di Yangge" is a traditional Yangge dance that is popular in Xiaohongmen area of Chaoyang District, Beijing. Its full name is "Taiping Tongle Yangge Shenghui". On a flag of the association that has been preserved to this day, there is the words "Taiping Tongle Yangge Shenghui in Hongsi Village outside Zuoanmen started in the second year of Qianlong". The Yangge Association has strict rules, customs and etiquette. Most of the members in the association are Manchus, all of whom are men. Xiaohongmen Di Yangge is mainly performed during festivals and various festive activities. The Yangge team consists of 21 people: 2 people each play the role of Tuotou, Xiaoerge, Wenshan, Wushan, Fisherman, and Woodcutter; 4 people each play gongs and drums; 1 person plays the big gong; 2 flag bearers; 2 people carry the tent (cage shaking). Di Yangge performance is mainly dance, supplemented by singing. In the past, the association often performed for large-scale celebrations and sacrificial activities. For example, during the "Sacrificial Granary" activity held in Hongsi Village on the 25th day of the first lunar month to pray for God to bless the crops, after the "Add Granary" ceremony (adding Granary means collecting more grain and not leaving the granary empty) was completed, the Diyangge was performed. At present, the association only continues the festival celebration activities, and the sacrificial activities are not continued. In the past, the Xiaohongmen Diyangge performance was a combination of singing and dancing. At present, there are very few people who can sing, and they no longer sing during performances. There are still a large number of Yangge lyrics in the Yangge Association, but there is no singing score, and it is on the verge of being lost. According to old artists, Xiaohongmen Diyangge once had 64 performance routines, and only 22 sets are preserved now.