Characteristics
Kouji is a skill in which performers utilizes human vocal organs to imitate and present a variety of sounds in daily life and the nature, with facial expressions. It’s a folk art performance, and one of “Baiji (hundreds of skills)”. Kouji in ancient times is an art of sound mimicry.
DevelopmentalHistory
The origin of Kouji is quite early, which can dates back to the remote ages. In order to hunt at that time, people often need to mimic the bird songs to allure them, or drive animals through intimidatory cries. With regards to navigation through imitating sounds, it means to use different cries and shouts to find and distinguish partners, which is the earliest form of human language and the predecessor of Kouji, but not the genuine Kouji.
According to historical records, as early as 298 BC during the Warring States Period, there was a story, called Mengchang Rushes Through the Hangu Pass At Night, which was the first historical account of Kouji. As a result, originated in the Warring States Period, Kouji enjoys a history of over 2,300 years, but it was not used for performance in its infancy. Qi’s Mengchang was well-known for his talents among the other six states, and Qin’s ruler, Emperor Zhaoxiang, intended to assassinate him from jealousy. Mengchang used his followers’ Kouji skills by mimicking the barking of dogs to steal special garments for bribing Zhaoxiang’s wife and gained freedom from the prison. Then one of his followers used Kouji skills to mimic a rooster to allow the gatekeepers to open the pass for Mangchang’s successful escape.
Kouji had not become a performance art until Song dynasty. According to Zaji (a collected notes in Song), there were such performances as “Xuexiangtan (Talk in different dialects)” and “Bainiaoming (Mimicry of birdsongs)” etc. in the capital’s amusement parks, which were possibly Kouji performances. In addition, the barking of dogs and crowing of roosters in dramas of Song and Yuan dynasties tend to be played by Kouji performers behind the stage.
Until Qing dynasty, Kouji has developed into the creation of a story by using multiple sounds simultaneously from the mimicry of one certain sound. Therefore, it was listed as one of “Baixi”, called “Kouxi”, commonly known as “Gebi Xi”. For example, the performances “Military Hunting” and “Herds of Pigs Compete for Food” are remarkably true to life.
From the end of 20th century onwards, Kouji was widely used in a variety of art performances and regarded as a special art form. This skill was also called Xiangsheng, Nisheng or Kouxi in ancient times. However, the “Xiangsheng” is so called in that Kouji is an art of mimicking sounds, which is different from modern cross-talk; while experts report that the cross-talk and Sichuan’s Xiangshu are both originated from Kouji.
