独角龙“耍牙”绝技

一

浙江宁海有个剧种叫“平调”，平调有出传统戏叫《金莲斩蛟》，后来改编为神话剧叫《银瓶仙露》，戏里有个角色叫独角龙。

独角龙的表演非常有意思，嘴巴里可含十颗猪獠牙，人们在台下看到：独角龙的嘴里先出现两颗，接着四颗、六颗渐次增多，能上下翻动，左右开放，颇有川剧“变脸”那样的“特技”和“绝招”，这绝招当地叫“独角龙耍牙”。

浙东的观众若说起平调，最爱点看独角龙的戏了。若在乡间演出，男女老少便会奔走相告。“独角龙耍牙”成了平调的品牌，现在又被国家文化部列入“非物质文化遗产”。独角龙这个名字有点怪，它是个什么东西呢?我在家乡宁海看了很多年的这个戏，看到的“独角龙”造型几乎都是头盔上长了一个牛角的家伙，这角既没有龙角的华贵，又没有对称的美学效果，所以这个独角龙我猜是个反面角色，它要么是个土匪强盗，要么是个妖精之类。不过艺术贵在独特，独角龙之所以流传旷久，深入人心，它除了耍牙特技表演之外，还与这个独特的人物造型分不开。在中国传统的戏曲人物里没有听说有个叫“独角龙”的，可能仅此一家。由于独角龙张牙舞爪，所以戏里出现了一个敢于刺杀他的女英雄，构成了“姣姣斩独角龙”的故事，一刚一柔，一张一弛，大锣大鼓，大开大合，何等豪迈，何等气派!

浙江宁海这方水土孕育出这样的戏，浙东人民喜欢这样的戏，不是没有缘由的。宁海有许多有关独角龙的民间传说：传说独角龙出生在新昌山区，有着山区人的粗放与狰狞，此人竟然嗜吃壁虎和四脚蛇，身上长满疮痂，而后疮痂又变成鳞壳，头上也长出一只角来。由于传说，一个传奇式的人物便完成了由人变成非神非妖的转化：他力大如牛，性残如虎，作恶甚多，成了地方一害，而后他又落草为寇，打家劫舍。

有独角龙残害生灵，便有反抗者的奋起斗争，其任务落在一个弱女子的身上，这位英雄女子名叫宋金莲，于是宋金莲又衍变出许多故事，一说宋金莲与其妹妹随父在桶盘上看管山村，后因山村被占，父亲被杀，两姐妹自然要复仇；另一说则更复杂，不过故事说法不一，但“金莲斩蛟”一说却基本一致。然而到了清代，有位章翰林把这故事编写成剧本《小金钱》之后，内容已与原先的传说大相径庭了。

二

1978年我在宁海平调剧团当编剧，接受了改编《小金钱》的任务。

从《小金钱》到后来我改编的《金莲斩蛟》，我感到最有光彩之处还是独角龙的“耍牙”表演艺术。历经数代艺人的创造发展，宁海“耍牙”术已有一套完整的表演程式，改编后，为了充分表现“独角龙”这一角色，我将剧情改成落泊书生刘邦瑞来投奔岳父，岳父(即宋金莲之父)却嫌他穷愁潦倒，用抱滑雪瓶之计惩罚刘邦瑞，并借此将刘赶出门外，未成亲的宋金莲感于道义，与刘“一马双鞍”双双逃走，不想被鸡鸣山强盗独角龙劫住，强迫宋金莲做压寨夫人，最后宋金莲用了不少巧计斩了独角龙。

但剧本出来后，行家们认为构思、主题没有新鲜东西，还得重改。由此，我经过更多的思考，将《金莲斩蛟》改成《银瓶仙露》。这是一个神话剧，我汲取了浙东各类民间故事，也有原来《金莲斩蛟》的影子，并让独角龙一开始就卷入矛盾之中，这个千年修炼而成的妖精年年要选美成亲，残害生灵，为了拯救百姓，银瓶仙子不惜牺牲自己，以900年修炼成的仙露与独角龙的毒火展开了一场殊死的较量。

这个戏终于被宁海平调剧团推上舞台，演出总场数达千场以上。全国各地还有广东粤剧、浙江婺剧、上海淮剧等多个剧团也移植上演。

三

独角龙的“生命”终于延续到了21世纪的今天，由此也延续了宁海平调的生命。

独角龙耍牙的绝技很受农民的欢迎，每到一处演出，山村简直沸腾了。这个戏到城市演出也同样受到欢迎：记得20世纪60年代初绍剧名家六龄童看了平调剧团刘兴官的独角龙耍牙，非常钦佩，当场端来一碗清水，恭恭敬敬地奉在刘兴官的面前，要求拜师。如今平调的老艺人刘兴官虽已作古，而独角龙的表演却薪火相传，到现在已经传到女演员的身上了。我们很难用几代演员去简单地划分，演过独角龙角色的大约已有数代演员了。其中叶全民是最为出色的一个，20世纪80年代他上杭城去参加全省青年演员大赛，以其独特的艺术荣获一等奖，成为宁海平调史上的一份骄傲。现在“独角龙”传到了女演员的身上，这无疑多了一分艰难，说起来很有一点悲壮的味道。其中有成绩的有王春盎、薛巧萍等人。

现在，独角龙耍牙作为非物质文化遗产得到国家的保护，使我们感到十分欣慰，独角龙耍牙能够代代相传下去，这实在是件可喜的事!

One-Horn Dragon Plays With Its Teeth

By Yang Dongbiao

Pingdiao Opera is a local theater form popular in Ninghai, a county in East China's coastal province of Zhejiang. More often than not, the most popular character of the play is a one-horn dragon. People like the dragon for a reason. At a certain moment in the play, the one-horn dragon will find a reason to open a toothless mouth. Then two teeth appear as if out of nowhere. Then four do. And more appear. What is more, these teeth can move up and down, right and left as if by magic. The incredible stunt never fails to wow audiences. It is known locally as ne-Horn Dragon Plays with Its Teeth? If a Pingdiao Opera show is to be staged, villagers will lose no time in rushing around and spreading the news with the greatest excitement.

They are excited because they surely will have a tremendous time with the teeth feat, for the one-horn dragon is a hallmark for the arch villain in any Pingdiao play. The villain could be a robber, a bandit, or a monster, but part of the costume is always the same: a headgear with a single bull horn. The villain is ready to show his teeth in an acrobatic way. There is no character quite like this in any other folk play across the country.

The one-horn dragon appeared first in myths in Ninghai. It was originally a man of savageness, born in mountains. The beastly man fed on lizards. Gradually, his body was covered with scars, which turned to scales later. Finally a horn grew out on his head. The man-turned animal did a lot of evil things, in one version. And in another version, he became a brigand and robbed people. According to legends, the ferocious animal was killed by a delicate woman named Golden Lotus by using a clever strategy.

In the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), a scholar of the Imperial Academy adapted the folk story first to a Pingdiao play. The dramatized story differed from the original legend in many parts. In 1978, the folk story was adapted again to a new Pingdiao myth play with input from experts. Later the play was staged successfully by the Ninghai Pingdiao Opera Troupe. So far several thousands of performances have been staged. The play has also been transplanted into Yuju Opera of Guangdong Province, Wuju Opera of Zhejiang Province and Huaiju of Shanghai.

As unique as the face-changing trick in Sichuan Opera, the teeth stunt is kept and guarded as a secret by Pingdiao artists. One of the most famous one-horn dragon artists was Liu Xingguan. In the 1980s, Ye Quanmin was the big star of the one-horn dragon. He won the first prize in a provincial opera competition with the amazing teeth showoff. Nowadays, the art of teeth show has been passed down to actresses. Some insiders and enthusiasts find it a little bit sad to see that such a heroic task of carrying on the brilliant stunt is left to actresses.

Fortunately, the one-horn dragon playing with its teeth has been designated by the central government as an intangible and immaterial cultural heritage. It is gratifying to see that the unique stunt will be preserved and passed down to future generations.

(Translated by David)

一

浙江宁海有个剧种叫“平调”，平调有出传统戏叫《金莲斩蛟》，后来改编为神话剧叫《银瓶仙露》，戏里有个角色叫独角龙。

独角龙的表演非常有意思，嘴巴里可含十颗猪獠牙，人们在台下看到：独角龙的嘴里先出现两颗，接着四颗、六颗渐次增多，能上下翻动，左右开放，颇有川剧“变脸”那样的“特技”和“绝招”，这绝招当地叫“独角龙耍牙”。

浙东的观众若说起平调，最爱点看独角龙的戏了。若在乡间演出，男女老少便会奔走相告。“独角龙耍牙”成了平调的品牌，现在又被国家文化部列入“非物质文化遗产”。独角龙这个名字有点怪，它是个什么东西呢?我在家乡宁海看了很多年的这个戏，看到的“独角龙”造型几乎都是头盔上长了一个牛角的家伙，这角既没有龙角的华贵，又没有对称的美学效果，所以这个独角龙我猜是个反面角色，它要么是个土匪强盗，要么是个妖精之类。不过艺术贵在独特，独角龙之所以流传旷久，深入人心，它除了耍牙特技表演之外，还与这个独特的人物造型分不开。在中国传统的戏曲人物里没有听说有个叫“独角龙”的，可能仅此一家。由于独角龙张牙舞爪，所以戏里出现了一个敢于刺杀他的女英雄，构成了“姣姣斩独角龙”的故事，一刚一柔，一张一弛，大锣大鼓，大开大合，何等豪迈，何等气派!

浙江宁海这方水土孕育出这样的戏，浙东人民喜欢这样的戏，不是没有缘由的。宁海有许多有关独角龙的民间传说：传说独角龙出生在新昌山区，有着山区人的粗放与狰狞，此人竟然嗜吃壁虎和四脚蛇，身上长满疮痂，而后疮痂又变成鳞壳，头上也长出一只角来。由于传说，一个传奇式的人物便完成了由人变成非神非妖的转化：他力大如牛，性残如虎，作恶甚多，成了地方一害，而后他又落草为寇，打家劫舍。

有独角龙残害生灵，便有反抗者的奋起斗争，其任务落在一个弱女子的身上，这位英雄女子名叫宋金莲，于是宋金莲又衍变出许多故事，一说宋金莲与其妹妹随父在桶盘上看管山村，后因山村被占，父亲被杀，两姐妹自然要复仇；另一说则更复杂，不过故事说法不一，但“金莲斩蛟”一说却基本一致。然而到了清代，有位章翰林把这故事编写成剧本《小金钱》之后，内容已与原先的传说大相径庭了。

二

1978年我在宁海平调剧团当编剧，接受了改编《小金钱》的任务。

从《小金钱》到后来我改编的《金莲斩蛟》，我感到最有光彩之处还是独角龙的“耍牙”表演艺术。历经数代艺人的创造发展，宁海“耍牙”术已有一套完整的表演程式，改编后，为了充分表现“独角龙”这一角色，我将剧情改成落泊书生刘邦瑞来投奔岳父，岳父(即宋金莲之父)却嫌他穷愁潦倒，用抱滑雪瓶之计惩罚刘邦瑞，并借此将刘赶出门外，未成亲的宋金莲感于道义，与刘“一马双鞍”双双逃走，不想被鸡鸣山强盗独角龙劫住，强迫宋金莲做压寨夫人，最后宋金莲用了不少巧计斩了独角龙。

但剧本出来后，行家们认为构思、主题没有新鲜东西，还得重改。由此，我经过更多的思考，将《金莲斩蛟》改成《银瓶仙露》。这是一个神话剧，我汲取了浙东各类民间故事，也有原来《金莲斩蛟》的影子，并让独角龙一开始就卷入矛盾之中，这个千年修炼而成的妖精年年要选美成亲，残害生灵，为了拯救百姓，银瓶仙子不惜牺牲自己，以900年修炼成的仙露与独角龙的毒火展开了一场殊死的较量。

这个戏终于被宁海平调剧团推上舞台，演出总场数达千场以上。全国各地还有广东粤剧、浙江婺剧、上海淮剧等多个剧团也移植上演。

三

独角龙的“生命”终于延续到了21世纪的今天，由此也延续了宁海平调的生命。

独角龙耍牙的绝技很受农民的欢迎，每到一处演出，山村简直沸腾了。这个戏到城市演出也同样受到欢迎：记得20世纪60年代初绍剧名家六龄童看了平调剧团刘兴官的独角龙耍牙，非常钦佩，当场端来一碗清水，恭恭敬敬地奉在刘兴官的面前，要求拜师。如今平调的老艺人刘兴官虽已作古，而独角龙的表演却薪火相传，到现在已经传到女演员的身上了。我们很难用几代演员去简单地划分，演过独角龙角色的大约已有数代演员了。其中叶全民是最为出色的一个，20世纪80年代他上杭城去参加全省青年演员大赛，以其独特的艺术荣获一等奖，成为宁海平调史上的一份骄傲。现在“独角龙”传到了女演员的身上，这无疑多了一分艰难，说起来很有一点悲壮的味道。其中有成绩的有王春盎、薛巧萍等人。

现在，独角龙耍牙作为非物质文化遗产得到国家的保护，使我们感到十分欣慰，独角龙耍牙能够代代相传下去，这实在是件可喜的事!

One-Horn Dragon Plays With Its Teeth

By Yang Dongbiao

Pingdiao Opera is a local theater form popular in Ninghai, a county in East China's coastal province of Zhejiang. More often than not, the most popular character of the play is a one-horn dragon. People like the dragon for a reason. At a certain moment in the play, the one-horn dragon will find a reason to open a toothless mouth. Then two teeth appear as if out of nowhere. Then four do. And more appear. What is more, these teeth can move up and down, right and left as if by magic. The incredible stunt never fails to wow audiences. It is known locally as ne-Horn Dragon Plays with Its Teeth? If a Pingdiao Opera show is to be staged, villagers will lose no time in rushing around and spreading the news with the greatest excitement.

They are excited because they surely will have a tremendous time with the teeth feat, for the one-horn dragon is a hallmark for the arch villain in any Pingdiao play. The villain could be a robber, a bandit, or a monster, but part of the costume is always the same: a headgear with a single bull horn. The villain is ready to show his teeth in an acrobatic way. There is no character quite like this in any other folk play across the country.

The one-horn dragon appeared first in myths in Ninghai. It was originally a man of savageness, born in mountains. The beastly man fed on lizards. Gradually, his body was covered with scars, which turned to scales later. Finally a horn grew out on his head. The man-turned animal did a lot of evil things, in one version. And in another version, he became a brigand and robbed people. According to legends, the ferocious animal was killed by a delicate woman named Golden Lotus by using a clever strategy.

In the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), a scholar of the Imperial Academy adapted the folk story first to a Pingdiao play. The dramatized story differed from the original legend in many parts. In 1978, the folk story was adapted again to a new Pingdiao myth play with input from experts. Later the play was staged successfully by the Ninghai Pingdiao Opera Troupe. So far several thousands of performances have been staged. The play has also been transplanted into Yuju Opera of Guangdong Province, Wuju Opera of Zhejiang Province and Huaiju of Shanghai.

As unique as the face-changing trick in Sichuan Opera, the teeth stunt is kept and guarded as a secret by Pingdiao artists. One of the most famous one-horn dragon artists was Liu Xingguan. In the 1980s, Ye Quanmin was the big star of the one-horn dragon. He won the first prize in a provincial opera competition with the amazing teeth showoff. Nowadays, the art of teeth show has been passed down to actresses. Some insiders and enthusiasts find it a little bit sad to see that such a heroic task of carrying on the brilliant stunt is left to actresses.

Fortunately, the one-horn dragon playing with its teeth has been designated by the central government as an intangible and immaterial cultural heritage. It is gratifying to see that the unique stunt will be preserved and passed down to future generations.

(Translated by David)