The Question And Analysis Of Rhetorical Group And Natural Group Of Chinese Classical Drama

Literary Grace and Natural Color are the theoretical terms ancient Chinese drama theory frequently used. Different from wen cai, Literary Grace generally refers to elegant and pleasing color and style that is manifested in the literary works, which is the external thing different from the contents of the articles. In fact, the original meaning of the term is not the case, but an integral part of the works. In comparison, because the content of Natural Color is more abundant, different dramatic theory critics have different definitions when they use the theoretical term. Generally speaking, the Natural Color covers the elements of drama literature, including language, aesthetical style, temperament, content, structure, characterization, stage performances, etc. The theory of Natural Color in the ancient Chinese drama is essentially the Ontology. Dramatic theory critics having different understandings about what is the thing-in-itself of drama, which causes their different understanding about what is the theory of Natural Color, also lends to ambiguity of the term.Rhetorical Group and Natural Group evolved from the basis of Literary Grace and Natural Color. The works of ancient Chinese drama did not show a clear standard of drama group division and definition. In modern times, some scholars, beginning to refer standard of group division about foreign literature theory, and combining it with the actual situation of the development of ancient drama, according to the ancient related discussion, divided drama into different groups. However, the definitions about Rhetorical Group and Natural Group several renowned scholars defined are different and the materials they based are also different. In the second part, by analyzing the materials they based, author question these different definitions and disagree the evidences and standards of division about ancient Chinese drama groups.On the basis for further understanding of Literary Grace and Natural Color, in the third part, author question and analyze the traditional understanding:Tang Xianzu belongs to Rhetorical Group and Shen Jing belongs to Natural Group. Tang and Shen made they own contributions in different aspects of the scholarization,standardization and dramatization for drama. The difference of understanding about what is the thing-in-itself of drama is the essence of the differences between Tang and Shen.