| Since the beginning of the 21st Century,the Grand National Theatre as a cultural incident of the era has aroused heated discussion among people. This discussion undoubtedly reveals the strong ideological factors, namely, state, national, and epochal demands implied in the construction of such architecture. The National Grand Theatre, thus, demonstrates the complicated relationships embedded in the modernity of Beijing city in the early 21st century, through which we can gain a better understanding of the current state of life and the significance of survival.This paper consists of three sections. The first section mainly analyzes the social and cultural contexts of the sudden appearance of the National Grand Theater in Beijing and the new imaginings it has consequently brought to Beijing's urban space. The focus of my analysis is on the social and cultural conditions of Beijing city during the period of socialist market economy and the onset of global consumerism. I argue that due to the implementation of socialist market economy and the impact of global consumerism, China has entered a new historical stage. At this stage, China has gradually shifted from planned economy to socialist market economy; the political process of democratization through the thaw of the 1980s gradually moves forward; economic, political and cultural fields have been marked by internal splits, pluralism and the tendency towards heterogeneity. But it is undeniable that in this historical transitional phase, people's basic political rights have not been effectively implemented and the democratic system is not yet perfect. With the sweeping of the consumerism in the name of globalization, this period is characterized by mass political apathy and a fanatical pursuit of leisure and consumption. The National Grand Theater is thus erected against the skyline of Beijing city in such a social and cultural context, standing for a transition from the discourse of power embodied by landmarks such as the Forbidden City and the Tiananmen Square to a new hybrid discourse of power and consumption.The second section explores in depth different appeals to values invoked by different subjects of interest and how their conflicts and struggles become intertwined in the new urban spatial imagery formed by the Grand National Theatre. I will demonstrate how the architectural aesthetics, the decision-making process and the selection of location are imbued with the spirit of oriental politics. Although the National Grand Theatre borrows its body from the West, as a symbol of the presence of state power, its soul is still the nationalist spirit in China. Meanwhile, as an image of "New China", its postmodern architectural features have deviated further from Chinese historical traditions, gesturing Chinese government's resolution to stick to its open policy and ride on the waves of globalization. In addition, as a daily aesthetic space, the National Grand Theater has taken on the double writing of elitist narrative and the public narrative of secular desires. The city elites'imagining of the city emphasizes on taste, elegance, and fashion, with Kantian aesthetics as its guiding principle in the consumption of urban space. Ordinary citizens, on the other hand, imagine the city in a trivial and fragmented way, for they are preoccupied with the concerns of daily life.The third section discusses the utilizations of space by different subjects of interest after the National Grand Theatre was put into use in December 2007. The opening of the National Grand Theatre provides not only a space for political and cultural propaganda for the state power, but also an effective tool for social control. While stressing its regulating and educational function, the National Grand Theatre also lays a platform for public leisure and consumption. Various sectors of the public come here to enjoy the visual feasts, but cultural practices of daily life have to be transformed from a pattern of mass consumption into individualistic internal space. |
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