Between Tradition And Modernity

This paper takes the Kunqu Opera after 1978 as the research object,investigates its revival path,analyzes its revival,summarizes the achievements,points out the insufficiency,and explores the future protection of the Kunqu opera.The revival of the Kunqu Opera in the new period is divided into two phases with the diving line that the first Kunqu Opera festival was held at Kunshan and Suzhou at march 31,2000.At the lst phase-early phase,we were attracted by the outside world and lacks of sufficient recoginitoin of the value of traditional culture,where the whole society realized that China is far behind of the developed country in economy.Along with the influx of foreign culture,the commodity economy began to boost and fast food culture was rapidly developed and absorbed,where new entertainment style was formed along with widely adoption of TV by the public and the emerging of internet.It brings unprecedented crisis to Kunqu opera.Kunqu audience losts and box-office seriously fall as well as the the operation of professional Kunqu Opera troupe become chanllengable,both writing and performing talent is in shortage,and the Kunqu opera show is becoming less and less.Kunqu Opera is fading out people's vision.Later,it walks into the 2nd phase-latter phase,where is trigger by the most important event that Kunqu Opera was recognized as "representative of the oral and intang:ible heritage of mankind," by by the United Nations UNESCO at may 2001.It greatly enhances the position of the Kunqu Opera.The governments and the community starts to realize the value of the traditional culture inside Kunqu Opera.The traditional culture starts to be promoted and there is more attention on protect and inherit the Kunqu opera.At the national level,the "Kunqu Opera Art Rescue Protection and Suppor" project was kicked off and implemented.More and more activities of Kunqu opera creation and show are held.Other than the six main professional Kunqu Opera Troupes,dozens of Kunqu opera troupes distributed throughout the country have also become an important force in the transmission of the Kunqu Opera.Famous people such as Bai Xianyong raised the private capitals,unified the resources at mainland,Hongkong and Twai and finally worked out the famous opera "Youth Edition Peony Pavilion As now,the survial environment of Kunqu opera is tremendously improved and even extends its impacts to intemaltional stage.And there is good sign that the young audience's adsorption increased.Serveral kunqu related books are published,such as "China's Kunququ opera big dictionary","Hisotry of Kunqu Opera Show","Kunqu Opera and Traditional Culture Research Series" etc.The mainstream media also starts to promote the Kunquju.Kunquju revival of the public opinion environment is greatly improved.But the transformation of the spirit of the traditional system of inertia,the traditional context of the fracture,the impact of modern media crisis has not yet been lifted.There are two factors driving the revival of Kunqu Opera.At first,given the fast devloping conomic,strength of national power,the rise of international status,attention from whole society on traditional culture since reform and opening up policy,Kunquju revival has not only great policitcal and culture environment,but also a relatively solid economic base.Secondly,the position of Kunqu opera is greatly lifed after the Kunqu Opera is complied into the UNESCO "Human Oral and Intangible Heritage masterpieces" list.The government takes practical measures to support the Kunqu Opera proptection.So Kunquju professional troupe vitality is improved.Meanwhile some groups and people from Taiwan give great support on Kunqu Opera and Kun opera is kinds of overcoming the situation that it is simply replying on government investment to survive.Kunquju Renaissance has achieved high success.In order to cope with the crisis and challenge in the new period,the Kunqu opera community strives to adapt to the needs of modem theater,multimedia and new audiences.A large number of classical operas is totasted again with the injection of new changes,such as "Scholar","A playboy Cuo Li Shen",Dou eyuan","Single pole","The West Chamber","Pipa","Continued Pipa","Jinchai","White rabbit","Peony Pavilion","Nanke dream","Hairpin","Plum","Fifteen penetration","Peach Blossom Fan","Palace" and so on,which is important to the protection and inheritage of Kunqu opera because the gain of the perofmring skillset,talent cultivation and audience attraction all rely on the frequent playing of the traditional opera.It is important to keep the essence of Kunqu opera and to take charge of the inheritance and protection of Kunqu opera,which is the important task of the traditional opera reordering,and carrying out the principle of"the whole old as the old" or "the tradition as the body and the modern as the use".In addition,there are also many new repertoire with adaption against old repertoire,such as "a peach blossom red","Gongsunzidu","Baihua princess","Xi Shi","Qiao Xiaoqing","House of Flying Daggers","Jing Yang",in which "Gongsunzidu" and"Jingyang bell "had a greater impact.It opened up a new path for the Kunqu Opera heritage and protection.Meanwhile,there are many new ancient opera,such as "Ban Zhao","Li Qingzhao","Fan Li and beauty","General Han Xin","Meng Jiangnv","Dong Xiaowan","A Dream of Red Mansions","Li Qingzhao",in which "A Dream of Red Mansions" has a greater impact in both Kunqu Opera and Kunquju stage show and has carried out a bold exploration.Furthermore,there are new modem opera,such as "Tao Ranqing" "Love without Bound","Old Beijing masterpiece","Lament" and cross-cultural adaptation of the Kunqu Opera "Tu Ya Lei Ma"and so on.These works have been trying to broaden the subject matter of Kunqu opera,enhance their performance ability,try to make their own efforts in forging the modern character of Kunqu opera,but its influence is limited.Whether it is reorganizing the traditional drama,the new ancient opera or the new modern opera,its artistic style and the stage show have new changes.So,the new era of Kunqu Opera is still with the power of travel between time and space?Can we continue to convey the spirit of our nation's art and aesthetic taste?What are the deficiencies in the transmission and protection of Kunqu opera?Should Kunqu Opera Return to Classical or Modem?How to Evaluate the Two Perspectives of "Ya" in the Process of Kunqu Opera's Rejuvenation and the Two Different Tropism of "Popular"Pursuit?In this paper,the above-mentioned problems are considered and well discussed.I believe that significant achievement has been made on the prospect of Kunqu Opera at the new period.The Kunquju Opera has been greatly improved ecological and Kunquju's influence is increasing.In the return to tradition and the pursuit of modernity,many of the repertoire mades a variety of efforts and achieved some success.But some of the repertoire in the modernization of exploration is too aggressive and resulting in the essence of Kunqu Opera weakened or even lost.Many writers are not familiar with the creation of the standard text Kunqu Opera-Qupei Lianfang metrical,writing lyrics so that it is hard for them to create the opera in accordance with the law of the cavity.And there are few Opera actors really gaining the performing skills from their predecessors and able to perfectly perform in the stage.Compared with the glorious period of Kunqu Opera,the lacking of the dramaturgy,literature and the quality of the stage show is difficult to deny.In the author's view,the main task of the revival of the Kunqu Opera is to inherit,cherish and even awe the tradition,while the pUrsuit of modernity is also essential,but must adhere to the "tradition as the body" principle without damaging the Kunqu Opera's ontological characteristics.In the new period,the characteristics of the Kunqu opera spread are new.The author expounds the necessity of utilizing the media and the advantages and disadvantages in the process of conununication.At the same time,it also gives some suggestions for the development of Kunquju in the cross-border communication of multimedia,such as enriching the program level and using the modern media to popularize Kunquju art.It is very important to utilize the organizational communication and the interpersonal communication and to carry on the standardization of the Kunqu Opera inheritance under the context of the mass communication,with the principles of the expectation horizon and the"use-satisfaction"model.How to complete the protection and transmission of the Kunqu opera 's mission is an important topic that the Kunqu Opera community and even the whole society pay close attention to.On the basis of the advanced experience of other countries,the author discusses the inheritance,protection and development of Kunqu Opera.This paper puts forward the conception of establishing holistic living transmission pattern:by improving the policy environment,legislative protection,market cultivation,and stimulating the national culture consciousness of the Kunqu opera art,strengthen the interaction between the folk forces,market players and governments,The formation of the protection and transruission of Kunquju art consensus and action.