Director of the Bureau of Culture of Changhua County - Zhang,Que-Fen

1.Basic Information:

 (1).Name: Zhnag,Que-Fen

 (2).Gender:Female

 (3).Service Units: The Bureau of Culture of Changhua County

 (4).Job Title:Director

2.Interview Questions:

Q1. Can you explain why Changhua is currently the county with the most registered "Xuan" and "Yuan" societies, based on your understanding of Taiwanese Beiguan music?

A1: In the central region of Taiwan (Changhua), The Beiguan music tradition is mainly represented by two types of groups: the Xuan and the Yuan. To talk about the history of Xuan and Yuan, we can start from the end of the Qing Dynasty. Changhua had four city gates, and each gate had a major guild. The most famous one today is the Lichun Yuan of the South Gate, which is currently the only national-level designated preservation group. The Jile Xuan of the East Gate ceased operation about 30 years ago, and its guild was designated a county-level historic site in 2020. After the Cultural Affairs Bureau's restoration work, they were able to successfully reopen their guild. The Yiruzhai of the North Gate and the Yuehuagang of the West Gate have not been in operation for a long time. In fact, they are all affiliated with the Nan Yao Temple of Changhua's Mazu Temple. Nan Yao Temple has ten Mazu societies, and the most important parade team is the "disciples" who drive the chariot that carries Mazu. Why do Xuan and Yuan societies in Changhua have such a strong impact? It is mainly because during their heyday, many teachers of Xuan and Yuan society were teaching across counties and cities. Many can be traced back to the historical context of our Xuan society. Even the furthest location, Yilan, can still be traced back to the guild masters who came from Changhua, and many of them were from the Xuan society. Therefore, the influence of the Xuan society in history is the most extensive in terms of recorded history. Whether it is Xuan or Yuan, they are both excellent Beiguan groups in Changhua, each with their own historical significance.

Q2. How does Changhua County Cultural Affairs Bureau approach the development of Beiguan music?

A2: We established the Changhua County Museum of Traditional Nan Bei Music and Theatre in 1983. At that time, the central cultural unit was the Cultural Construction Committee, and planning began at that time. It took a lot of time to prepare for the construction process, so in 1978, we decided to build this house. However, it was not opened until July 1988, and a lot of time was spent building the house. This is the visible infrastructure that you can see, but after the opening, the most resources were invested in the dissemination of Beiguan culture, including many important historical records, the production of powerpoint presentations, and so on. All of this cost a lot of money to promote the inheritance of traditional Nan Bei Music in Changhua.

Q3. What is the purpose of the establishment of the Museum of Traditional Nan Bei Music and Theatre in Changhua County?

A3: The reason why the music and drama halls of Changhua's Nanguan and Beiguan are very active, especially the Beiguan troupe, is that Changhua has the only Nan-Bei-guan music and drama hall in the country, which is representative of the significant influence of Changhua. For over 200 years, the only national designated preservation group in the country is Changhua's Li-Chun Yuan, which has been continuously active since the end of the Qing Dynasty, which is very rare. Therefore, it has become the only national preservation group. Changhua has four county-level preservation groups for Beiguan– the highest number in the country– including Dongshan Fongli Yuan, Changhua Lifang Yuan, Lukang Yuqin Xuan, and Changhua Rongle Xuan. The energy of Beiguan in Changhua is still particularly strong. Therefore, when the Council for Cultural Affairs supported Changhua to build the Museum of Traditional Nan Bei Music and Theatre in the 70s. The museum was believed to be  a crucial cultural characteristic. The main purpose of the museum is to pass along knowledge of Taiwanese music and drama; courses are offered at night and on weekends, by volunteers or professional teachers.. We also have a section that collects important cultural relics. Most of these relics are from some early halls that were unable to stay in operation but these relics are very historical. The remaining parts were donated to the Cultural Affairs Bureau for preservation, and these important cultural relics can be displayed through the Museum of Traditional Nan Bei Music and Theatre, which is an educational base.

Q4: How does the director of the Changhua County Museum of Traditional Nan Bei Music and Theatre preserve Bei-guan music?

A4: When Changhua decided to turn Nan-Bei-guan into an important cultural asset in 1978, the first thing to do was to build this hall, and the second was to establish the Nanguan Experimental Orchestra in 1985 during the process of completing the hall. In 1986, an experimental training class was opened, which was divided into Nanguan, Beiguan, and Gaojia Opera, including Seven Sons Opera and Beiguan Opera, with a total of 14 classes currently available. This training section is basically the educational base for Nanguan. We opened the hall in 1988, and the Beiguan Experimental Orchestra was established in 1989. The Beiguan Experimental Orchestra is a milestone that is supported by the government and its members improve their Beiguan music skills through this opportunity. In 2017, we began to apply to the Ministry of Culture to include Nan-Bei-guan education in schools. Currently, there are 17 schools and more than 30 classes involved in this program, including 7 schools and 16 classes for Beiguan. In addition to being present in schools since 2017, we also have community programs. Although the community program does not have a preservation group, they are willing to promote Beiguan music, and there are currently seven programs. The most important thing is that, in addition to talking about listening to music, we practice and pass on the music through the old masters to ensure the preservation of the Beiguan music culture.

Q5: Do you like Beiguan music, and what makes it special?

A5: I believe music can affect people's emotions and feelings. Since everyone's life experiences are different……  What comes to mind when you hear Beiguan music? Where do you typically hear Beiguan music? From my own experience, I associate Beiguan music with local temple festivals. At my age, hearing Beiguan music reminds me of the excitement of temple festivals, with many processions to watch and a lot of delicious food to enjoy. Therefore, for me, Beiguan music represents excitement and joy. People often say that local festivals bring joy and excitement, and for my generation, Beiguan music symbolizes a positive and energetic atmosphere associated with celebrations and happy occasions.

Q6: Do you have any other suggestions for us?

A6: Do you enjoy Beiguan music? The sound of drums and gongs is probably our favorite. Beiguan music can be something we share with teachers in the education industry. When we perform overseas, playing Beiguan music on stage represents Changhua or Taiwan's unique musical culture. Nowadays, the saying "the more local, the more international" is very popular. Many people who have returned from studying abroad have shared with me that they often discuss local cultures with their foreign classmates or work partners. We should not view Beiguan music simply as part of a temple procession. Some people may think that only those who are not good at studying play Beiguan music, but that is not true. Playing Beiguan music does not mean you cannot excel academically. Many people can balance their academic work and their passion for Beiguan music. Be proud of your love for Beiguan music.