Research On The Props Of Baogong Dramas

BaoZheng(999-1062),known as Xiren,was a native of Hefei,Luzhou in the Northern Song Dynasty,and died posthumously under the posthumous name of Xiaosu.He was a clean and honest official,enforced the law strictly and defied authority,and was quite famous.He was regarded as a typical representative of the Qing officials by future generations,and his deeds have long been circulated among the people.At the same time,BaoZheng was also put on the dramas stage,and all of them,from princes and nobles down to common people,enjoyed the legendary stories in BaoGong Dramas:BaoZheng beheading Qin Shimei,changing the prince with a civet cat,and so on.As a hot topic of research in literary history,there are many research results from literature,history,sociology and law.All kinds of research paradigms are illustrating the richness of research perspectives on Pao Gong Dramas,with their own different meanings.This paper brings the study of Baogong Dramas back to the dramas itself,taking "props" as an entry point to explore the unique artistic charm and value of Baogong Dramas in depth and detail.This paper,as a cross-sectional study of "Baogong Dramas" and"props," will draw on the ideas of both types of studies and adopt research methods such as close reading of texts,statistical analysis,literature research,and comprehensive research.This paper is divided into three chapters,mainly exploring five aspects of the props of Baogong Dramas,including types,characteristics,functions,application characteristics and cultural implications.The first chapter point out the types and characteristics of the props of Baogong Dramas by collating the repertoire of Yuan,Ming and Qing dynasties.The repertoire of Baogong Dramas includes Yuan miscellaneous dramas,Southern dramas,Ming and Qing legends,etc.There are 30 kinds in total.The types of props of Baogong Dramas are classified according to characters,plots,and types of cases,and the characteristics of each type of props are analyzed in turn.After that,the textual functions of the props of Baogong Dramas are explained,including promoting the plot,identifying the characters,expressing the heart,shaping the image,creating the atmosphere,etc.The second chapter compares the props in BaoGong Dramas and BaoGong Novel to study the use and changes of props in different genres.The use of props in BaoGong’s plays and BaoGong’s novels is illustrated by the adaptation of the Yuan opera by The Hundred Families and the adaptation of the Beijing opera The Beaver Cat for the Prince by The Three Heroes and Five Virtues.The comparison shows that the props of BaoGong Dramas pay more attention to the plot and atmosphere functions of the props than the props of BaoGong Novel,and they are closely integrated with the performance of the actors,and also reflect the strong color of gods and monsters.The third chapter will explore the cultural implications of the props of Baogong Dramas from four aspects:regional characteristics,rituals,food,and law.In terms of regional characteristics,the props of Baogong Dramas are mainly influenced by the Beijing and Shanghai Peking dramas,combining traditional masonry and modern scenery;in terms of rituals,the props of Baogong Dramas highlight the identity of the characters and the beliefs of ghosts and gods;in terms of food,the props of "rice floor"appear in Baogong opera,which is proved to be a simple way of eating rice noodles in Ming Dynasty;in terms of law,the props of Baogong opera are not only a good way of eating,but also a good way of eating.In the legal aspect,the props of BaoGong Dramas include power sword and gold medal,contract instrument and torture instrument,which have their unique symbolic meaning in Chinese legal culture.Studying the props of BaoGong Dramas not only provides insight into the cultural significance behind BaoGong Dramas,which is an enduring image of a puritanical official who carries the imagination of the lower class and represents justice and righteousness,but also provides insight into the role played by props in BaoGong Dramas and how they are used to express the dramatic tension in the opera performance.It is important from both literary and cultural perspectives.