Stages And Society: Study On Stages Of Shanxi Province In Ming And Qing Dynasties

The stages took an important status in area society in Shanxi. Over a long period of time, scholars have paid more attention to the construction of stages and the influence of stages on drama historical research. But obviously this is not enough to reveal the sociality of stages. In order to give a deeper insight into the implications and the role stages have played in the regional society, based on the theory of the history and culture-anthropology, this article is aimed to analyze the characteristics of stages in Shanxi, their formative reasons and social functions, and to give a further discussion on the state-society relationship that stages implied and the influence of folk beliefs on stages.In the recent years, scholars have focused their attention on the history of area social in north China, the part of which, Shanxi area not only has the generality of north China area but also has its particularity. The research in the north China area history can become more substantial and thorough through the further study on Shanxi. It was not an accidental phenomenon but the inheritance and development of specific thinking, culture, customs, folk beliefs, entertainment, fashions and so on that the stages became popular and were built in almost every village in Shanxi in Ming and Qing dynasties. So the study on stages can interpret area society from many aspects.Stages forming in society, we must cast light on its sociality and its relationship with society and so its characteristics can be realized. Influenced by the natural environment and social-cultural factors, the development and distribution of Shanxi stages in Ming and Qing dynasties not only reflect the local conditions and customs but also can be regarded as the starting point of studying stages. Social civilization and entertainment function of the stage adapted the stage to the need of folk society, and promoted the construction of stages. As the other two functions, cultural inheritance and social intercourse advanced the cultural connotation and symbolic meaning of stages and stabilized their social status. Whether in cities or in villages the stages were not simply a building. The cultural implications and charm they carried made them popular among common people. People especially in villages often participated in many entertaining and sacrificial activities, which made stages the public. The publicity of stages meant that they could hold more audiences than ancestral temples and could embody the collectivity consciousness. The folk belief had promoted the development of stages. In many cases, folk people's attitudes towards deities just reflect their inner world and the developmental process of folk beliefs. Based on this, the relation between the state and society could be seen through.While discussing the stages, this article makes a study of the relevant customs, beliefs, commerce, etc. So that it can reflect Shanxi area society in the whole.