In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content:

Prologue Eyes on Jingju Jingju, which literally means “Beijing drama”, is the Chinese word for the theatrical genre known in the West as “Peking/Beijing Opera”. I adopt the term jingju in this volume because, when we appreciate how the word was formed, it offers an authentic Chinese sense that a foreign rendition cannot convey. Just as the English language has accepted the Japanese nō and kabuki, I trust it will acknowledge jingju. What is jingju? Essentially, it is a total theatre which emphasizes stylization over realism. The Chinese terms for jingju’s four basic skills1 are translated by Elizabeth Wichmann as “singing, speaking, dance-acting, and combat” (1991, 2), although this requires elucidation: “dance-acting” includes pure dance and pantomime as well as the visible results of “acting” in the Western sense, while “combat” in this non-mimetic theatre encompasses stylized fighting with swords and spears, martial arts and acrobatics. How do performers and spectators approach jingju? What has it meant to people at different times? How has it managed to evolve and survive throughout the twentieth century — arguably the period that witnessed the greatest upheavals in Chinese history as well as an unprecedented expansion in the variety of forms of entertainment? These issues fascinated me when I started planning this project in 2004. Since then, I have raised such questions with a wide range of Chinese people, from arts professionals and administrators to domestic workers and taxi drivers, and from schoolchildren to octogenarians. Below are selected answers that highlight some important features of jingju and the problems it has to face in the twenty-first century. 1 They are chang, nian, zuo and da. 2 The Soul of Beijing Opera What Do People Today Think of Jingju? Wang Jinlu (1920– ) reflected on his dedicated career as a jingju actor specializing in warrior roles: “Jingju is my lifeblood. When I was a child, I only knew that jingju gave me food. When I grew up, I came to understand that it was the supreme art, because for the first time a genre was able to utilize the various styles of music and acting . . . Why are audiences declining if it is such a wonderful theatre? People nowadays enjoy many more entertainments than ever before. So jingju now has difficulties.” Sighing deeply, he continued, “I am convinced it won’t die . . . although I don’t know how its shape may change.”2 In January 2005, I attended a matinee specially arranged for young Shanghai schoolchildren, organized jointly by the Shanghai Jingju Theatre and the Yifu Stage as part of their publicity and educational work.3 Targeting pupils in primary and middle schools, such events comprise performances and informal lectures with occasional short workshops, and are intended to train future audiences.4 They also help the state-run theatres fulfil the performance quotas set by the authorities as a qualification for official subsidies.5 The show I saw was a variety bill selected from the traditional repertoire with brief introductions outlining the plot and role types involved in each piece. The atmosphere in the auditorium was good — apart from the occasional noise of chatting, especially during the aria sections — and the children engaged with the performance. For example, during a mime scene from The Crossroads, full of dance and acrobatics, where two actors moved as if they were in the dark and could not see each other, the young spectators became excited, pointing at the stage and shouting “Look out! He is behind you!” or “Don’t move to the left! He is there!” Afterwards, I talked to a boy and a girl from the audience. The 2 Interview notes on 1 February 2007. All translations from Chinese into English are mine unless otherwise indicated. 3 They also run free monthly seminars for the public, and the speakers include playwrights, critics and actors. The 2009 programme covers a wide range from the main features of jingju to character types to traditional and newly created repertoire. 4 Similar work is also carried out in universities with more sophisticated seminars and workshops. 5 Subsidies from the government fell drastically in the 1980s when the economic reforms started, and theatres had to seek more sponsors from other sectors. Since the late 1990s, the situation has become varied in different areas. For example, jingju and kunju (an older genre) in Shanghai now receive more assistance from the local government. However, without fulfilling the annual quota, companies would be unable to gain any state funding. In 2007...

Share