A Comparative Study of Hua'er Folk Songs in the Chinese Provinces of Gansu and Ningxia

Abstract

The objectives of this dissertation were as follows to 1) investigate the development of Hua'er folk songs in the Chinese provinces of Gansu and Ningxia. 2) Analyze the characteristics of Hua 'er folk songs in the Chinese provinces of Gansu and Ningxia. 3) Compare the similarities and differences between Hua'er folk songs in the Chinese provinces of Gansu and Ningxia.. The qualitative research method was employed for this study. On-site interviews were conducted with key information providers in this field, and a substantial amount of data was collected. The collected data was then classified. The rusult of this study show that:

1. Ningxia Hua'er is a folk song popular among the Hui ethnic group in Ningxia, Gansu, Qinghai, and Xinjiang. It is characterized by passionate and powerful singing, with improvised lyrics that reflect the Hui people's pursuit of a happy life and pure love. Hua'er has evolved into a comprehensive stage drama called Hua'er opera, integrating song, dance, and drama. The development of Hua'er drama in Ningxia has elevated its artistic level, showcasing the unique cultural expressions and regional characteristics of the Hui people in the Ningxia region.

2. The analysis of Gansu and Ningxia Hua'er reveals commonalities and differences in the types of cavities sounds and musical styles among various ethnic groups. The melodies of Gansu Hua'er exhibit fluctuating patterns and a mixture of narrow and wide tones, while Ningxia Hua'er melodies have a more tragic. The influence of different cultural backgrounds and regional experiences contributes to the diverse musical expressions found within these folk songs.

3. Gansu Hua'er and Ningxia Hua'er are two variants of the Hua'er music genre, sharing commonalities and differences in their characteristics. Both genres are folk songs transmitted orally and have cultural identities within their singing communities. Dialect influences also contribute to their distinctions, as Gansu Hua'er incorporates a greater number of Chen'ci words influenced by various dialects, whereas Ningxia Hua'er has fewer Chen'ci words influenced by the Liupanshan dialect.

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