Zhang Guifen - Representative Inheritor of Hani Epopee "Luoqiluoye and Zhasizhayi" Project in Mojiang County, Puer 

Zhang Guifen (born November 1944) is the national-level representative inheritor of the Hani ethnic narrative epic “Luoqiluoye and Zhaszhayi” (洛奇洛耶与扎斯扎依). She comes from Huihuichong Village (回回冲村), Xinfang Community (新发社区), Lianzhu Town (联珠镇), Mojiang Hani Autonomous County (墨江哈尼族自治县), Pu’er City (普洱市), Yunnan Province (云南省).

Her artistic journey spans more than 80 years — from rescuing an endangered oral tradition to creating a system of systematic protection. She has carried the Hani epic from fireside recitals to the national cultural stage, earning the title:
“Guardian Spirit of Songs in the Hani Mountains (哈尼山乡的歌魂守护者).”

Family Heritage & Early Training

Born into a “Baha Ayi” (巴哈阿依, singer family of the Biyao branch of the Hani people), Zhang was immersed from childhood in the world of the Hani creation epic.

At the age of 7, she began formal training with her mother Li Qiong (李琼) and folk artist Bao Lishi (鲍李氏). By age 12, she could already perform key chapters such as “The Creation of Heaven and Earth” (开天辟地) and “The Great Flood” (洪水创世).

At 18, she became the only female performer in her region capable of independently leading ritual chanting at weddings and funerals. Her singing blends the power of the “Lada Melody” (腊达调) with the liveliness of the “Aci Melody” (阿茨调), forming a style that is both solemn and improvisational.

In 1975, she performed excerpts of “Luoqiluoye and Zhaszhayi” (洛奇洛耶与扎斯扎依) at the Yunnan Farmers’ Arts Festival (云南省农民文艺汇演) and won third prize, officially launching her career.

Core Skills & Cultural Safeguarding

A Standard-Bearer of Living Epics

• Textual Authenticity: Zhang preserves fragments from classic epics such as “Ashidi’s Genealogy” (阿细的先基) and “Meige” (梅葛). Her use of throat-singing accompaniment and triple-meter rhythm variations has been documented in The Anthology of Chinese Folk Songs – Yunnan Volume (中国民间歌曲集成·云南卷).

• Ritual Completeness: She strictly follows the nine ceremonial steps (Inviting Spirits, Purification, Antiphonal Singing, Sending Spirits, etc.) during major festivals such as “Kuzhaza Festival” (苦扎扎节), reviving Hani migration myths through improvised performance and voice techniques.

Systematic Rescue of an Endangered Tradition

• Field Research: Zhang walked across Mojiang County (墨江县) and 15 nearby Hani villages, collecting and preserving 12 endangered ancient songs, recording over 60 hours of original audio.

• Living Education: She opened “Epic Night Schools” (史诗夜校) around the family hearth, training young inheritors such as Zhu Wansui (朱万岁) and Li Yunhui (李云慧). Thanks to her efforts, the number of people able to perform the epic in Huihuichong Village grew from fewer than 5 to over 100.

Building a Transmission Network

Zhang developed a three-dimensional inheritance system:

• Family Workshop: Her son continues the lineage as a fifth-generation inheritor, mastering core ritual performances.

• Ritual Practice: She leads epic chanting at annual festivals such as “Angmatu Festival” (昂玛突节), training 12 singers and 4 assistants to form a stable troupe.

• Community Teaching: She founded the Zhang Guifen Epic Training Center (张桂芬史诗传习所), where over 20 apprentices have been trained. Her disciple Zhu Wansui (朱万岁) can now independently perform major productions like “Songs of Celebration” (群歌欢腾).

Cultural Outreach & Modern Innovation

Cultural Ambassador on National Platforms

• Official Recognition: In 2014, she was named a National Representative Inheritor of Intangible Cultural Heritage. Her performances were featured on CCTV’s “Homeland China” (乡土中国), and her teaching videos on Douyin have been viewed over 1 million times.

• Awards: In 2019, her troupe’s production “Epic of Wumeng” (乌蒙史诗) won the Bronze “Caiyun Award” (彩云奖), and she personally received the Best Performance Award.

Tourism & Cultural Integration

• Festivals: During the Hani “October New Year” (十月年), Zhang organizes the Huihuichong Epic Festival (回回冲史诗文化节), where innovative performances draw 300,000+ online viewers.

• Tourism Experience: At the Mojiang Twin Culture Park (墨江双胞文化园), she designed an immersive epic center where visitors can try Hani costumes, antiphonal singing, and short stage rehearsals. This attracts over 10,000 participants annually, raising village incomes significantly.

Intangible Heritage Protection & Policy Support

• Digital Archives: In partnership with Yunnan Minzu University (云南民族大学), Zhang recorded 20 core epic movements with 3D scanning technology and developed a VR learning program on Xuexi Qiangguo (学习强国) platform.

• Reviving Lost Works: She reconstructed endangered dramas like “The White Elephant’s Rescue” (白象救主) and “The Stag’s Gratitude” (马鹿报恩), blending ancient epics with modern stagecraft.

• Funding & Innovation: With provincial support, she established training centers, purchased recording equipment, and secured living stipends for young apprentices.

Challenges & Innovative Solutions

Despite her success, Zhang faces:

• Generational Gaps: Epic training takes 10–15 years, and few young people are willing to dedicate that much time. Among her disciples, the average age is 42, with only 3 under 30.

• Market Limitations: Ritual performances appeal to niche audiences, while cultural products bring little income.

Her solutions include:

1. Digital Empowerment: Working with Huawei’s Digital Intangible Heritage Project, her VR epic courses reached 1.5 million views.

2. Musical Fusion: She produced the album “New Rhythms of the Epic” (史诗新韵), with the single “Fireside Night Talk” (火塘夜话) hitting 3 million plays on Douyin.

3. School Programs: At the Mojiang Youth Activity Center (墨江县青少年活动中心), she runs weekend classes where over 120 children have learned epic singing through games and performances.

Cultural Value & Contemporary Significance

Zhang Guifen’s life work represents three key contributions:

1. Historical Research Value: Her preserved songs and rituals provide living evidence for studying Hani social structure and early religious traditions.

2. Cultural Identity & Unity: In multi-ethnic Mojiang County, the epic strengthens bonds across Hani, Yi, and Han communities. Her troupe was recognized as a “Model Team for Ethnic Unity in Yunnan Province” (云南省民族团结进步示范团队).

3. Educational Innovation: Her model of combining traditional arts with modern education has been promoted across all 16 prefectures of Yunnan.

As Zhang herself says:

“The epic is not just chanting — it is the cultural DNA carved into the bones of the Hani people.”

Through her lifelong dedication, she has carried the Hani creation epic from mountain villages to national and international stages, becoming a vivid example of the diverse unity of Chinese civilization.