A Description of "Jiangjing" (Telling Scriptures) Services in Jingjiang, China

Abstract

Jiangjing (telling scriptures) is a local style of oral prosimetric narrative performed in ritual contexts in the area of Jingjiang on the north bank of the Yangzi River in Jiangsu Province, China. The style is a local expression of a once popular form of oral narrative known as baojuan (precious scrolls or precious volumes) that traditionally had associations with popular Buddhism and other beliefs. Jiangjing performances are recognized locally as having secular and sacred story repertoires, performed by semi-professional storytellers at nighttime and daytime services, respectively. The storyteller is accompanied by a chorus of village elders who chime in at appropriate points in the narration, a situation that raises interesting questions of performer/audience dynamics. The A. presents a brief overview of jiangjing's history, its process of performance, a description of a child-protection ritual held in concert with a storytelling session, and a translation of a sample text of jiangjing.