The Influence Of Li Yu's Opera Theory On His Novel Writing

Li Yu was an outstanding opera theorist, opera writer, and novelist during the intersection period of Ming and Qing Dynasties. His masterpiece, Xian Qing Ou ji, is a great work of Chinese classical opera theories. Although the publication of Xian Qing Ou ji was preceded by that of his novels, its theoretical construction was far before Li Yu's novel production. The formation and development of its systematic theories involved in Xian Qing Ou ji was a long duration, which had an important impact on Li Yu's later novel creation. The excellence of the book embodies several aspects: organization, plots, language, and comedy theories. With respect to the organization, the concept of opera about"the main brain"and"a person and a thing"made his novel writing goals more clear and contributed to the elaborate construction of the unity of the novel structure."Dense needlework"and"subtracting clues"compacted the structure of the story, removing unnecessary events and clues. The organization also affected the design of the starting, climax, and ending of the events. In terms of plot, Li Yu's belief that opera demonstrated both the fiction and the reality made him expand literary imagination on the basis of real life. He did his best to pursuit novelty, but in the meantime he also made every effort to avoid excessive absurdity. He believed that opera was a tool for entertainment, but his dramas and novels also contained ironical ingredients. He also spontaneously placed the educational advisory into his works. As far as the language is concerned, Li Yu vigorously promoted using vernacular language in opera. His novels told us about his rich life experience and his profound understanding of the world in simple and comprehensible language. He dissatisfied with the numerous use of uncommon stories, people's names and the clichés in some operas, believing that good opera writers could create outstanding works by means of familiar stories and plain language."Correlation of fun"was another important rhetorical feature of Li Yu's operas and novels. The"correlation"means the internal linkages in language;"fun"is calling for the use of fresh and lively language to guide and enlighten readers and audiences. Both of the two components are inseparable. In terms of comedy theories, Li Yu's comedy theories included two elements: entertaining himself and entertaining others. His novels also tried to wash out the scenes or the themes of tragedies. He also opposed the obscenity and vulgarity in opera. Both his comedy plots and his language naturally rather than artificially reflected his implicitly humorous creation style, which often had educational implications for people.Dramas and novels have the same origins, but they belong to different schools. They have mutual and complex relationships and influences to each other. In the Ming and Qing dynasties, dramas and novels were burgeoning, and the links between them became increasingly close. As a literature genius, Li Yu had"multiple tasks", and he made contributions to the operas, novels, literary criticism and theories. His theory of opera in structure, plot, language and his comedy theories have a pronounced impact on his creation of novels.This thesis aims at investigating the influence of Li Yu's opera theories on his novel production from the perspectives of the richness and systematicness of his opera creation. The study focuses on the reasons why Li Yu's opera theories have such a significant impact on his novel production and vividly delineates different effects under the historical and cultural context of the intersection period of the Ming and Qing Dynasties.