Contemporary China - Yavanika

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theatre should still serve the interests of the 'people'but the emphasis on its use as a propaganda we:ipon fbr socialism teuded increasingly to weaken. As a result, modern dramas ignoring the role ofthe CCP in sociefy, and those advocating no solution for its ills, became common. Psychological drana becane popular aurong the urban intelligentsia. Thc theories of acting and theatre of Bertolt Brecht increased in influence especially among younger play"rvrights. Since 1979 valious forms of foreign theatrc have received CCP sponsorship, not only petfoltned by foreign companies in the original language, but also by local troupes and translated into Chinese. The crisis of 1989, which clinaxed in the bloody Tiananmen Square incident in Beijing on 4 June, exercised a highly detrinental effect on modern forms of drama because it placed a clamp on new experiments aDd ideas in theatre which conld be construed as non-supportive of the CCP. In the period following the crisis, the man with chief responsibility for literature and thc arts was Li Ruihuan. ln a najor speech made on 10 January 1990 he emphasized the magnificencc of Chincse tradition and called for the critical absorption of foreign cultures. He summalized the relationship between art and politics as follows: 'We do not require literature and art to be directly subordinate to temporary and specific political tasks. At the sane time, this does not mean that literature and art can deviate flon sewing socialisur.' Certainly there would be no return to the policies ofthe Cultural Revolntion, when literature and art were indeed directly subservient to political tasks. At the same time, Li's position implied a strol)g tendency to glori$ the Chinese'nation' through theatre and other arts. As a result government support for traditional ntusic drama and plays set in the distant past grew noticeably at the expense of those dramas or drama folns fbcused on modcrn history or contemporary society. In 1990, the 2001h anniversary of the entry of the Anhui companics into Beijing in 1790, a major stage along the parh of dcveloprncnt of the Beijing opera, was celebrated enthusiastically tluoughout China. By way of climax, a festival fbaturing traditional nusic dramas was held in Beijing attended by Li Ruihuan and Jiang Zenin, CCP Secretary- Ceneral. Form, performance The main forrns of theatrc in China since 1949 are tfaditional nusic drama, newly alranged historical drama lxrrrrarv ilsHr lu), spoken drama (haojl), song drama (gciil), dance dlarra (wu7u) and ballet, There are abour 350 r'egional sfyles of traditional music drama, as explained in thc sections on impe lial China.'flre content is always from the distant past. As in the past, stage properties are simple, thele is no sccnety, btlt costulnes and makeup are elaborate, nannerisns, posture and body move ments stylized. An cvening's entertainnent will normally feature three or four sholt items. Reform and censorship have removed certain items and passagcs, but this is the forn least affected by the modern age. 'Newly arranged histolical dramas' are traditional in nost aspccts of style, but as the nane sugliests, arc created by contenporary writ. ers and perfbrmers. ln addition, scores ofamateul and professional puppetry tror.rpes perpetuate vari. ous resional traditions of puppet play (kuilei ri), shadow play (piltng xt), and rod-puppet play \zhang. to u kuilei) perform ance. fulong Westernizcd forms, the trrost inportant is spoken dran-ra (hlaju). Only ofthis forn can itbe said, in the 1980s, that most items are set in the present or even srnce 1949. The best representative writer before the Cultural Revolution was Lao SuE. Spoken drama in thc 1980s showed invcntiveness and innovation and the nost outside, nainly Western, influence. Social commentary remained strong, but arrlong avant-garde play.uvrights, propa. ganda ofthe fype favouled by the CCP became less and less direct, more and mole subdued. Individualism and feminisn are hallmarks of con. tenporary female playwrights snch as tsai Fengxi (1934- ). Directors have experintented with tech. nlques new to China, fbr example, variation in the colour and intensity of stageJighting to show emotional or psychological atmospheres or qualities. Spoken dramas of the PRC normally use elaborate scenery and stage properties and in urban theatres the act curtain is dlawn to ntark beginning, end or intermission. Howcver, since 1982, a few plays have adopted extremely sintple stage properties, and abandoned scencry and the curtain altogether. Body movements and postures are realistic, not stylized as in traditional ntusic drama. But whereas the plays with hear,y propaganda content tended to show ideal characters through rather stilted, e\ren stereoq?lcal, movem ral style became more PoP tray characters who ther images laid down as good ccP. The introduction ofwe pally to Soviet influence. I mainly items of classic especiallY Swan Lake' The Qlng included two ballets The Red Detachment oJ Wo Since 1976, these items h: and classical works hav time, Chinese artists art steps towards creating tl including comPoslng nr ballet dancers. However to this form, and it is m gxeat PoPularity in Chin intellectual elite. lllustrative Pieces Of all newly arranged h more famous than The ! Originally a folk story a turns into a beautifu numerous adaPtationsi by an anonYmous Plalw Tian Han, one of the Pl tists, adapted it as a Beij work in 1953. A monk i character who succeed the wicked snake, but T characterization to Pres turned woman as Posi ment of magic is Prese cates a positive role for v The theme of Patriot of equalitY for women in Family (Yangme niijiang opera in 1960 bY Lii Ruin Ming novel and a Yangz Centenarian T akes Comm others on traditional the during the Cultural Re revived in 1978. It is set tenanan oowager women of her familY to from the north, and victory. 42
Ince reatre in China since 1949 are ama, newly arranged historifsHl-/u), spoken drama (huaju), Lnce drama {wzlu) and ballet. regional styles of traditional ained in the sections on inpernt is always from the distant stage properties are sinple, ,ut costumes and makeup ale ms, posture and body move- :vening's entertainment will :e or four short items. Reform : removed certain items and the fbrm least affected by the arranged historical dramas' )st aspects of style, but as the reated by contemporary writn addition, scores of amateur petry tloupes perpetuate vanrns of puppet play (kuilei xi), i), and rod-puppet play lzhongle. :d forms, the most inportant iil). Only of this form car-r it be rat most items are set in the i949. The best representative tural Revolution was Lao SHl. : 1980s showed inventiveness I the most outside, mainly Social conmentary remained 'ant-garde playr,vrights, propaoured by the CCP became less more and more subdued. minisn are hallmarks of conaywrights such as Bai Fengxi ave experimented with tech- , for example, variation in the of stage{ighting to show emocal atmospheres or qualities. e PRC normally use elaborate )perties and in urban theatres wn to mark beginning, end or rer, since 1982, a few plays nely simple stage properties, )ry and the curtain altogether. Ld postures are realistic, not nal nusic drama. But whereas r propaganda content tended cters through rather stilted, even stereotypical, movements and postures, natural style became morc popular in the 1980s to portray characters wl.ro themselves confomt less to images laid down as good, mediocre or bad by the CCP. The introduction ofWestern ballet is due principally to Soviet influence. Before 1966, ballet meant mainly items ol' clessicul Europern rcpcrloile, especially Swan Lake. The 'model' dlamas of Jiang Qng included nvo ballets: The White-Haired Girl and The Red Detachment 0J Wlmen lllongsc niangzi jun). Since 1976, these items have disappeared as ballets and classical works have returned. At the same time, Chinese artists are rnaking vcry tentative steps towards creating their own national ballet, including conposing new works and training ballet dancers. However, no high priority is given to this foln, and it is most unlikely ever to gain great popularity in China outside a small urban intellectual elite. lllustrative pieces 0f all newly arranged historical dranas, none is more famous than The \4ftite Sndke \Baishe zhuan). 0riginally a folk story about a white snake that turns into a beautiful wolnan, it underwent numerous adaptations, including a kunqu version by an anonymous playwright in the 18th century. Tian Han, one of the PRC's n-rost fanous dramatists, adapted it as a Beijing opera, completing the work in 1953. A monk in the kunqu is a positive character who succeeds in curbing the power of the wicked snake, but Tian Han has changed the characterization to present him as evil, the snake tumed woman as positive. Even though an element of magic is preserved, the iten thus advocates a positive role for women. The theme of patliotism supplements advocacy of equality for women in Women G enerals oJ the Yang Family \Yangmen nitjiang,), arranged as a Beijing opera in 1960 by Lti Ruiming on the basis of a late- Ming novel and a Yangzhon music drarna entitlcd CentenarianTakes Command (Baisui guashuar). Like all others on traditional the mes, this itern was banned during the Cultural Revolution. However it was revived in 1978. lt is set in the 11 th century. A centenarian dowager surnamed Yang persuades the women of her family to resist lru eneury aggrcssing from the north, and their forces win the final victory. Onc regional drana on a modern theme is The SLory of the Red Lantern lHongdeng ji), which features threc generations of Comnunist heroes and their stluggle against a Japanese general during the War' of Resistance against .|apan. The replesentatives of the two elder generatious are killed by thc gener-al, but the youngest lives to fight victoliously against hin. The item was adapted into a Bcijing opela by the play.rvlight-director Aiia (1907-95) and performcd at the 1964 Festival of Beijing Opera on Contenporary Thcmes. It was taken over byJiang Qing and recognized as one of her model dramas from 1970 on. The characterization was made starker to enphasize the class struggle; Western instrllnents were added to the acconpanying orchcstra and the music made more staccato to express the heroism of the ConlDunists better. The item was revived in the festival ofDecernber 1990 and January 1991 to mark the 200th anniversary of the entry of thc Anhui corlpanies into BeUing. That this was not a sign ofa Cultural Revolutionary revival was demonstrated by the fact that the fbrm chosen was Ajia's, withJiang Qing bcing accused of having seized the item through an act ofrobbery. In the 1980s several spokcn dranas and newly arranged histolical music dramas appeared on the subject ofLi Shin-rin, one ofChina's greatcst cmperors (r.626-49). He was the second ruler ofthe Tang dynasfy and held the imperial title ofTaizong, and so is known also as Tang Taizong. One of the music dranas is the Beijing opera Tant Tr:izcrn.g, arranged by Li Lun. It deals with Li Shimin's success in winning over a Turkish invader through mediation and popular support, not fbrce, thus securing national unity. The incident which fbrms the core ofthe drama is historical, but the characterization and plot are adapted to advocate political lessons appropriate to the prcsent. An item to be prenriered after the 1989 crisis was PaLnting Draglns and Filling in Eyes lHudong dianling) by Sun Yuexia and others. Set in 627 it portrays Li Shirnin as a kind of 'people's emperor' and an example for the Chinese nation and concerns his search for good officials and suppression of cormption. In the 1980s the best writer of newly an-anged historical music drama was probably Wrr Mrrvcrun. More modeln national heroes portrayed on the stage since the late 1970s are revolutionaries such as Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai. In 1981, the 70th anniversary of the overthrow of the last dynasty by 43
Page 1 and 2: a THE CnMBRIDGE GUIDE TO il,;X h &,
Page 3 and 4: ith professional training. s taught
Page 5 and 6: evoking human values and an Han, Ou
Page 7: EJU, song drama. Flexible rsical fo
Page 11 and 12: )pen space. Street theatre is lcial
Page 13: divergent women as l contemporary C

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