Elite Theatre In Ming China, 1368-1644

by Grant Guangren Shen; THEATRE S

• ISBN13: 9780415343268
• ISBN10: 0415343267
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2005-05-16
• Publisher: RoutledgeCurzon

Summary

Theatre in Ming China represents a golden age of Asian performance, when an enthusiasm for theatre on the part of the national populace became a nationwide phenomena. Theatre occupied a particularly important place in the life of the elite, for whom owning a theatre troupe was highly fashionable and for whom theatre performances were an integral part of formal gatherings, various rituals and ceremonies. This book provides an overview of elite theatre in Ming China. It is based on an exploration of the original historical records, and includes comparisons with other forms of ancient theatre, and an examination of the details of theatrical performance.

Author Biography

Grant Guangren Shen teaches a variety of theatre courses, both Asian and Western, theoretical and practical, at the National University of Singapore.

Table of Contents

List of illustrations	x
Preface	xi
Acknowledgements	xiv
1 Historical overview	1	(10)
Golden age drama and its unparalleled performance	1	(1)
Ming chuanqi diverged from Yuan zaju	2	(2)
Ming chuanqi evolved from nanxi	4	(6)
The impact of Ming theatre	10	(1)
2 Previous scholarship	11	(11)
Accomplishments	11	(4)
Difficulties	15	(7)
3 Literati owners	22	(14)
The financial burden	22	(2)
The fatal attraction	24	(3)
The construction of an ideal reality	27	(9)
4 Actors' backgrounds	36	(9)
Primary sources for private actors	36	(4)
Atypical sources for private actors	40	(2)
Financial conditions	42	(3)
5 Actor training	45	(13)
Trainer categories	45	(3)
Training arrangements	48	(6)
Training experiments	54	(4)
6 Owner-performer relations	58	(10)
Types of relations	58	(5)
The loyalty of performers	63	(2)
The ending of relations	65	(3)
7 Sexist criteria	68	(7)
Her beauty	68	(2)
Her age	70	(2)
Her performance	72	(1)
Her character	73	(2)
8 The play as foreplay	75	(14)
Romance dominates the subject matter	75	(3)
Desirability distinguishes the chuanqi heroine	78	(6)
Voyeurism affects stage practice	84	(5)
9 Singing and dancing	89	(10)
Singing	89	(5)
Dancing	94	(5)
10 Role-playing	99	(12)
Script explanation	99	(4)
Character interpretation	103	(3)
Psychological preparation	106	(5)
11 Directing	111	(18)
Literary control	112	(6)
Staging control	118	(4)
Stylistic control	122	(1)
Total control	123	(6)
12 Performance space	129	(15)
Residential halls	129	(8)
Garden pavilions	137	(3)
Pleasure boats	140	(1)
On tour	141	(1)
Other's spaces	142	(2)
13 Performance theory	144	(26)
Development	144	(5)
Principles	149	(4)
Components	153	(8)
Methodology	161	(3)
Acceptance	164	(6)
Notes	170	(7)
References	177	(5)
Index	182