Soul of Beijing Opera, The: Theatrical Creativity and Continuity in the Changing World

Appendix 1A. Chronology

Appendix 1 Chronology 284 Appendix 1: Chronology Political/social events Events concerning jingju (theatre) and arts 1790 TheAnhui Sanqing Troupe is sent to Beijing to celebrate the Qianlong Emperor’s eightieth birthday. Over the next fifty years in the capital, the Sanqing and other migrant Anhui troupes (mainly singing kun and huidiao) together with performers of other genres in Beijing (kun, bangzi, yiyang qiang,1 etc.) develop the new genre, jingju. 1796 Start of the decade-long White Lotus rebellion. 1798 Revolts in more areas, some near Beijing. Imperial edict to support kunqu and yiyang qiang and to ban all other “vulgar” genres. 1826–35 Rebellion on the Turkistan frontier. Groups of handiao actors enter Beijing, bringing xipi music. The combination of the music of handiao (mainly xipi) and huidiao (mainly erhuang) forms the foundation of jingju’s principal musical system. 1842 Treaty of Nanjing concludes the First Opium War between China and Britain. The Qing empire has to pay an enormous indemnity, cede Hong Kong, and open five treaty ports, including Shanghai, to foreign trade. 1850–64 Taiping Rebellion. The Taiping movement holds Nanjing and most of the lower Yangzi valley. The practice of sending children from the lower Yangzi valley to Beijing as theatrical apprentices becomes almost impossible due to the rebellion. 1858 Treaties signed in Tianjin giving more concessions to Britain, France, America and Russia. This chronology is based on Li Liming (1963); Shieh (1970); Mackerras (1972); Wu Zuguang et al. (1984); Gray (1990); Fairbank and Goldman (1998); Ma Shaobo et al. (1999); Fu Jin (2002); Wang Anqi (2002); Wang Zhizhang (2003). 285 Appendix 1: Chronology 1860 British and French forces land outside Tianjin and march on Beijing. The Xianfeng Emperor and the court flee the capital. The Old Summer Palace (Yuanming Yuan) is burnt down by Anglo-French forces. Over three hundred performances are arranged for the Xianfeng Emperor and the future Empress Dowager Cixi during the court’s exile at Rehe. 1862–75 The Tongzhi reign. Its successes include the defeat of the Taiping and other rebellions, the achievement of relative peace throughout China, and the revival of the army and the nation’s economy. Jingju flourishes in Beijing, enjoyed by ordinary audiences in public theatres. Jingju performances increase in the palace drama in addition to the kunqu and yiyang qiang. 1894–95 Beiyang fleet is destroyed in action with the Japanese navy. Treaty of Shimonoseki (1895) forces China to pay a huge indemnity and cede territory, including Taiwan, to Japan. Meixian teahouse-style theatre opens in Shanghai, especially for jingju female troupes. Jingju female performers also appear in Tianjin. 1898 One Hundred Days’ Reform. 1900–01 Boxer rebellion. A six-nation punitive force loots Beijing. The court flees to Xi’an. Boxer Protocol imposes further humiliation and a huge indemnity. Many performances of regional genres for the Empress Dowager Cixi on her flight. Public theatres in Beijing reopen after the first weeks of foreign occupation. Afterthe1901BoxerProtocol,taxationincreasestopaytheindemnity. Shows performed to raise money for extra taxes, and a long-standing ban on women entering theatres is lifted to increase takings.2 Day shows gradually extend to evenings. 1902–05 Late Qing reforms of the education system: a national syllabus is created; all provinces are ordered to send students abroad (1902). Abolition of the Imperial Examination system (1905). Newly written kun and jingju plays reflecting political and social issues are published by revolutionary journals. The emergence of “reformed jingju”. 1904: The first Chinese drama journal, The Big Stage in the Twentieth Century, is published, attacking the Qing court and advocating new ideas of political and social reforms. It is banned after two issues. Establishment of the Fuliancheng, the longest-lived jingju training company. 286 Appendix 1: Chronology 1908 Death of the Guangxu Emperor. Death of Cixi. The “New Stage” in Shanghai builds the first modern-style proscenium stage and auditorium. Both jingju and modern drama are performed in this theatre. The heyday of the reformed jingju performances. 1911 Revolution overthrows the Qing dynasty. ActorsinShanghaitakepartinanti-Qingactivities.WangZhongsheng (1874?–1911), a pioneer of modern drama, is executed in Tianjin for his involvement in the Revolution. 1912 Inauguration of the Republic of China (ROC) on 1 January. Establishment of the Chinese Nationalist Party (Guomindang [Kuomintang]). April: ban on xianggong and siyu is issued by Republican Police Headquarters in Beijing. Beijing audiences see mixed-cast performances for the first time, but this is soon banned again. Mixed-casts...