lunch breaks on Wednesdays and Fridays, after school hours
Shuochang Fun Facts
Storytelling with Clappers:
Storytelling with clappers is an orally passed-down art form with clappers as accompaniment. Storytelling with clappers is believed to originate during the end of Ming dynasty and the beginning of Qing dynasty. At that time, Ming patriots used storytelling with clappers to relay rebellion information to fellow revolutionists to overthrow the Qing government.
Sentence structure:
Verses for storytelling with clappers are written with a tempo in them. In terms of word count, the first sentence must be contain thirteen words that are grouped into three, three, and seven (three words, three words, and seven words), or, alternatively, six and seven.
Source: TQT, Han-Lin More Shuo-Chang Team │Edited by: Jessica
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【Storytelling with Clappers:Fragment】
Storytelling with clappers, a real treasure,
Ancestors got wisdom that we can’t measure,
Up is six, down is seven,
Ending sound is odd not even,
Storytelling with clappers, all about techniques
This form of art is not easy.
Learning Tips (Reminders from student Shuo-Chang expert teachers)
Performing techniques:
Say it fast
Say it clearly
Think fast with your head
Use other percussion instruments to accompany the performance
Techniques for script writing:
Rhyming verses with six words on top and seven words on the bottom
Learning logs
Date
Details
10/21
Understanding the art of Shuo-Chang
10/28
Learning tongue twisters
10/30
Writing a market peddling doggerel
Teaching of a three-piece clapper
10/30
after school hours
Complete market peddling doggerel
Clapping practice, clapping with lines
11/4
Write doggerel script for a dry food stall, practice script reading
11/6
after school hours
Learning storytelling with clappers
11/11
Writing script for storytelling with clappers on MRT
11/13
Learning a tongue twister
11/20
Learning cross talks
11/20
after school hours
Memorize the script
11/25
Rehearsal
11/27
Get the script approved by the teacher
12/2
Shuo-Chang integrated learning
Afterthoughts
Jenny
I’d like to thank Maxine, my student Shuo-Chang expert teacher, for teaching me the art of Shuo-Chang. After more than two months of learning, I know what Shuo-Chang is, and I have also memorized doggerels and tongue twisters that Maxine has taught me. She has helped me correct my intonation, voice, and movement. We also wrote scripts and made posters together. Maxine even helped me with things for Cyberfair in her own time. Sometimes when she felt quite sleepy during lunch time, she still insisted on teaching me. I am so fortunate to have Maxine as my student Shuo-Chang expert teacher.
Text: Jenny, the Original Artsy Shuo-Chang Posse │ Pictures: the Original Artsy Shuo-Chang Posse
