A Study Of Chengshi Of The Traditional Chinese Xiqu

Chengshi(convention or convetion patterns), Chengshihua(convention\ized), with the collision of the Chinese and Western culture and art in Chinese modern history and triggering the reformation movement on the theatre, entered into the Xiqu theory category as a kind of theoretical language (Huang Kebao) beyond the scope of General Linguistics. From then on, it ascended the stage of history and had became the focus of controversy and a term used frequently in the theoretical research for one hundred years. The problem Chengshi is either a well-known or a tough project.The research of Chengshi of the traditional Chinese Xiqu performance is on the basis of major research achivements for a century and concerns the essential attribute of Chengshi. The paper develops around the fundamental nature of Chengshi to study its characteristcs and formation process in detail through the surface. Meanwhile, it also concerns the theoretical construcion of Chengshi as well as other basic quesetions, and thus forms the structure of this chapter.Chapter1Different theories of Chengshi. It divides the study course of different historical periods of a hundred years into three phases. The first stage is from the May Fourth New Culture Movement to the founding of the People’s Republic of China. It tries to explore and summarize art features of the traditional Chinese Xiqu. The second stage is from the founding of the People’s Republic of China to the starting of "Cultural Revolution". In the specific historical conditions, people had been trying to establish a theory of the Chinese Xiqu performing system in comparison with the theatrical system of Stanislavsky, Brecht. The third stage is along with30years’reform and opening up of China, and has been continuing the attempts of the Chinese Xiqu performing system. It concerns the theories of Zhang Houzai, Zhao Taimou, Jiao Juyin Hong Sheng in the early period, and of A Jia, Zhang Geng, Jiao Juyin, Huang Kebao, Chen Yiliang, Chen Youhan and Zheng Chuanyin and other major Chengshi research results such as different schools of rules of the criterion, spelling words, and dynamic formation etc.Chapter2My view on Chengshi of the traditional Chinese Xiqu. Chenghsi is a general term for art and culture of the traditional Chinese Xiqu. A broad sense refers to the Xiqu substance and spirit of creativity and wealth combined. The narrow sense refers to the spirit of the Xiqu art elements, namely the spiritual and cultural. It is a result created by the ancient artists and viewers together which is different from the other stage arts. The Chengshi includes the tangible and intangible existence in two ways. At first glance the tangible Chengshi can be distinguished from other theatrical arts; the intangible Chengshi refers to those reflected by the substance of the Chengshi, but its existence is invisible. It brought about the means of creation, techniques and presentations of the traditional Chinese Xiqu. Chengshi of the traditional Chinese performances is both the core and main body of the Xiqu, and the bond and basis of the tangible and intangible Chengshi. It is not only a large and complex, and complete system of symbols, but also the values and norms system, which makes the inheritance and sharing of the traditional Chinese Xiqu beoming possible and having basis.Chapter3The formation of Chengshi. Zoological research shows the world that when peoples’walking from the ape using limbs transformed into legs walking, the Chengshi cultural gene has been basically laid and has not changed with the formation of the essential characteristics of the Xiqu. The facts are1, a core of cultural genes and performance and appreciation of actors and the audience;2, the nature of the cultural genes:emotional artistic expression.3, the true nature of the cultural genes:the original song and dance performances.4, the instinct of cultural genes:the emotions and practical functionality. The various manifestations of the witch performing represent different music cultures. So we can say when the present traditional Chinese Xiqu art and music culture and art have the same source. Therefore, the birth of the witch, not only marked the birth of professional Xiqu actor, but also showed the co-genertion of the performing arts of the traditional Chinese Xiqu and Chengshi.Chapter4."Construction of Chengshi theory", the main concept of the Xiqu performing arts is posed by cosmology, creative concept, aesthetics. Unity of heaven and man forms the cosmos view of the traditional Chinese Xiqu. Yin and Yang forms the ontology of the cognitive. Circle is to construct the theoretical foundation of the art of body movement. Of creation, the guan(view) is established as the basis, while the "expression" is established as the ultimate goal,"image" is based on the six categories of Chinese characters. The basic composition of poor for change, and change the pass, general long "constructs the law of the Xiqu aesthetic development of the world. Joyous but not indecent mournful but not distressing is the aesthetic standards of change.That Thant great sound is hard to hear, and great form has no shape, implicit, unknown is the highest aesthetic realm of Xiqu performances. When Chengshi is an art cultural belief, people will be built into a kind of cultural consciousness, which runs through the thinking and behavior, consciousness and behavior norms, and practice in the art of creation naturally revealed and manifested to become a habit, a custom, a culture. Different beliefs in art, the artistic expression in a variety of arts and culture are different.