On weekends, chanting of Baiju(白局), a folk art of Nanjing, could be heard on Suiyuan campus of Nanjing Normal University, bringing people back to the old days, as kids learning the art of Baiju in a training class here.
“Baiju is the only kind of old local opera in Nanjing. It’s a native art which features singing and telling in the Nanjing dialect and is particularly rich in rhyme. It originates from the daily amusement of workers specializing Cloud-pattern brocade.” Xia Tian from Nanjing Baiju Club, told reporter.
Nanjing Baiju Club is the organizer of the training class, and the only organization in Nanjing focusing on promotion and teaching of Baiju. Xia, supervisor of the club, is a junior student in Nanjing Normal University, and the dubber of Nanjing Baiju in the audio resourse database of the Chinese language.
The theme of Baiju is like an encyclopedia of the Nanjing culture. It covers almost every aspect of the Nanjing locals’ life, for example, the beauty of the city, traditional delicacies, historic anecdotes and folk slangs.
“As the Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympics approaches, we have composed several arias about it, and they are liked by the kids.” Xia said.
The training class for kids has been running for two months. Another class for adults is also under preparation.
Xia conceded that, for historic reasons, Baiju is dying out. “As a Nanjing local, I don’t want to see this city losing its culture. So while teaching Baiju, I’m making my effort in keeping the cultural heritage.”
