A Study Of Zhou Yi-bai's Thought Of Drama Aesthetics

The History of Chinese Ancient Theater, written by Zhou Yibai, lays a foundation in the theater study of China. And it contains the rudiment of theater aesthetics. As far as we know that Qi Rushan finds the external characteristics of Chinese opera —The song and dance, and that Xu Muyun shows the inner spirit of Chinese opera --enjoyable, then, Zhou Yibai explores the theater idea of Chinese opera —Empty Place, which offers the thinking for understanding the aesthetic intension of the art of drama in an all-round way. Although Zhang Geng have given higher appraisal to Zhou Yibai 's aesthetic thought, he hasn't absorbed and explained the Empty Place in his judgment on Chinese opera's aesthetic characteristics.Principle on " drama designs to perform originally , especially for theater " that Zhou Yibai put forward runs through his whole studying in the history of Chinese opera, and changes the research mode that Wang Guowei has started. There are three main ideas in Zhou Yibai's works of Chinese opera history: Firstly, the whole research idea for the history of Chinese opera; Secondly, comprehensive view on the history of Chinese opera; Thirdly, the methodology in exploring the historical development of Chinese opera.Desk literature or theater idea forms the basic difference in drama concept between Aoki Masaru and Zhou Yibai. Since Wang Guowei, Aoki Masaru and Zhou Yibai are two remarkable scholars in studing the history of Chinese opera. But Aoki Masaru is only "a good reader " with serious attitude, and Wang Guowei lays particular stress on " a generation of literature ", not involving the theater idea at all. So Zhou Yibai is qualified an outstanding scholar both theater and literature. Actually, Zhou Yibai is the first person who surmounts Aoki Masaru and Wang Guowei in establishing the theater idea.