Formation And Evolution Of Science View Of Ancient Opera

Based on the basic issues of the studies of traditional Chineseopera, this thesis tries to analyze the causes to the deficiency inthe Chinese opera theories. It maintains that the core problem liesin the fact that many dramatists have some sort of vague idea aboutopera theory. Therefore, researchers in this field have to payattention to the studies on Chinese dramatists’ idea of opera, whichplays critical role when dramatists choose historic materials andways of narration, make the stories develop, and draw their viewsupon the operas. Then how can the researchers carry on the studyon the dramatists’ idea of opera? We believe the study should bestarted from the analysis on the history of the ideas. Only by takinghistory as a mirror can we seize and look into the future of Chineseoperas.Nevertheless, to describe the ideas of opera in ancient Chinawill not be easy. On one hand, the ancients and their ideas of operahas been past, making it hard to restore; on the other, the existinghistorical documents are diverse and complicated, making it hardto study them on a whole.Accordingly, the thesis tries to approachthe problem from the perspective of ancient Chinese intellectuals.Ancient Chinese intellectuals can be classified as both ruling class and the ruled class. The duality in their identity can enrich theirperspectives. Therefore, the basic idea and method of this thesis isto study the ancient Chinese idea of opera through the perspectiveof ancient Chinese intellectuals.This thesis focuses on the essence and function of traditionalChinese opera, aiming at describing the way in which the ancientChinese intellectuals’ idea of opera generated and developed andmapping the features of different ideas about Chinese opera fromWestern Han and Eastern Han Dynasty to late Qing Dynasty.Besides the introduction and the epilogue, the thesis consists ofnine chapters.In the introduction, which entitled In Searching the Basic Pointsof the Studies of Traditional Chinese Opera, the background, therecent progress in the world of studies on traditional Chinese opera,and the thinking framework of the thesis are introduced. ChapterOne The Concept of the Ancient Chinese Intellectuals’ Idea ofOpera defines the basic concepts employed in the thesis. ChapterTwo The Preexistence of Drama and Music:“Artistic Skills (orJiyi)”and the General Ideas of Opera tries to establish the featuresof different ideas about Chinese opera from Two Han Dynasties andTang and Song Dynasties. Chapter Three Singing and Dancing:“Sound and Pleasure(or Shengse)”and the Performance Ideas ofOpera focuses on the intellectuals’ views on opera in Yuan Dynasty.Chapter Four Poetry and Education:“Exquisite Style (or Zunti)” andthe Poetic Ideas of Opera introduces the features and functions ofthe poetic ideas of opera in Yuan Dynasty and early Ming Dynasty.Chapter Five Diction and Temperament:“Style-discriminating (or Bianti)”and the Musical Ideas of Opera analyzes the ideas on operain Ming Dynasty. Chapter Six Ballads and Romance:“Appropriateness (or Deti)”and Drama Ideas of Opera discusses theintellectuals’ views on opera in late Ming Dynasty. Chapter SevenTable and Theater: The Comprehensive Ideas of Opera teases outthe specific ideas on opera in early and middle Qing Dynasty. InChapter Eight The Controversy of the Hua and Ya: The ChineseOpera Melodies (or Luantan) in the Qing Dynasty, differentintellectuals’ preferences for attractiveness and grace of opera inmiddle and late Qing Dynasty are discussed. Chapter Nine mainlyfocuses on the communication and mutual complementary betweenChinese and Western ideas on opera in late Qing Dynasty. In thepart of Conclusion, the theoretical values and historicalsignificance of the studies on the ideas of opera are summarized.All in all, the history of ideas is the history of human thought,and the ideas of opera in ancient China is a history which recordsthe ancient Chinese people’s feeling and reflection on theirtraditional opera. If we can clearly describe the features of ancientChinese intellectuals’ idea of opera in different historical stagegenerated and developed and mapping the features of differentideas about Chinese opera, it will inject new vitality to thetheoretical studies of Chinese opera.