Tuesday night, Samueli Theater at the Orange County Performing Art Center was rocking with the joyous celebration of life when Wu Man, the pipa virtuoso, introduced traditional Chinese folk music to her audience in “Musical Journeys through China: Wu Man, Curator and Host”. Her introduction, performed by the Zhang Family Band and Li Family Daoist Band were from two remote areas of China, was indeed innovative and audacious.
To have the opportunity in southern California to hear and observe these ancient customs, culture, and rituals set to music is a rare event. Since China has turned to globalization, its traditional folk music of this type has not captivated the audiences in large cities such as Beijing and Shanghai. However, it still exists and flourishes in their native villages. It is an important integral part of the lives of these Chinese villagers whose music has transmitted from father to son or within a tight family circle. This type of secular music accompanies story telling and manipulating of shadow puppets. The Li family Daoist Band has transmitted its music for nine generations. Songs and music instruments of this lay band accompany prayers to the gods. Both types of music accompany the celebration of joyous events such as new years, good fortunes, and marriages. In times of grief, as in deaths and funerals, the locals still turn to the music and rituals of their forefathers to seek comfort and solace. The music of both bands is a direct expression of what the simple folks of these two remote areas in China think and feel.
