Xiqu elements in modern Chinese theatre: An analysis (Chinese text)

The quintessence of modern theatre resides in subjectivity. The dramatist, his work and the audience should be considered “inter-subjective”. Modern Chinese drama developed at the turn of the century in wake of the demand for the enlightenment of the people. It had acquired the techniques from Western drama, which was looked upon as a superior kind of theatre, and was mostly anti-traditional in outlook. As modern Chinese drama aspired to be a form of self-expression, itself an enlightenment concept, many dramatists were able to assimilate xiqu elements in their works while expressing their individuality. This was one of the major reasons for the phenomenal success of modern drama in the 1920's and the 1930's. In the following years, the cultural milieu was dominated by the idea of confrontation due to the emergence of a new political reality, and art was given the mission of serving society and even politics. As a result, drama in the modern period gradually lost its subjectivity. In the 1950's and 1960's, many successful directors were able to make use of the aesthetic principles of xiqu to create a new kind of stage performance which incorporated national characteristics. They also advocated a theory of drama corresponding to the art of xiqu in an attempt to counter the domination of “realism” and the Stanislavsky method. In the space of about fifty years, modernity in modern drama largely manifested itself on the stage, not in the script.; The political and economic liberalization in the last two decades has provided more room for “modern drama” to develop and grow. The re-examination of the theory of drama and the changing trend towards describing complex characters and social phenomena have brought about a complete evaluation of the xiqu tradition and the ways to continue this tradition. Market economy has also pushed drama to the margin of society, forcing drama to a crisis of survival and to a closer relation with the idea of “game”, which is actually inherent in traditional xiqu and in modern art.; In twentieth century China, modernity in modern drama waxed and waned, while xiqu elements played different roles in the development of drama in various periods of time.