The 20th century was a dynamic period for the theatrical arts in China. Booming urban theater, the interaction between commercial practice and theater, dramas staged during the War of Resistance against Japan and an in-depth communication between Western and Eastern theater all contributed to the momentousness of this period. The four volumes of "A History of Chinese Theatre in the 20th Century" display the developmental trajectories of Chinese theatre over those hundred years.
Following a chronological order, the author depicts the colorful yet turbulent developmental path of the Chinese theatre in the 20th century. Representative figures and works in each period are examined against the backdrop of its historical background. The author shows how the development of the Chinese theatre is intertwined with a variety of internal and external factors, such as political interference, a philosophical trend to ignore the traditions, and a profound influence from western theatrical concepts.
Scholars and students in the history of the arts, especially the history of Chinese theater, will find this set to be an essential guide.
Volume1:
Section 1: New Dramas and New Stages I. Emergence and Development of Peking Opera (Jingju) II. Minor Genres and Civilian Aesthetics III Theatrical Reform Campaign and New Concepts Section 2: Updating Concepts and Adapting Theatrical Industry to Market Requirements IV. New Orientation for Theatrical Reform V. New Changes in Performing Market.
Volume 2:
Part I Updating concepts and adapting theatrical industry to market requirements. 1. Theatrical Concepts and Theatrical Literature. Part II China’s Theatrical Situation during the Anti-Japanese War. 2. Theatrical Conditions in the Occupied Areas and Shanghai. 3. The Anti-Japanese War and Theatrical Development. 4. Theatrical Development in Revolutionary Bases under Communist Party of China
Volume 3:
Part I "Letting One Hundred Flowers Blossom" and "Getting Rid of the Stale and Bringing Forth the Fresh"---Policies for Chinese Theatre in the New Era. 1 Liberation and "Theatrical Reform". 2 Rectification of Deviation and "May 5th Instruction". 3 National Joint Performance and Review of Spoken Drama. 4 Removing the Restrictive Rules Detrimental to Theatrical Development. Part II Eulogizing "the Great Leap Forward Movement" and Recalling Revolutionary History. 5 "The Great Leap Forward Movement". 6 Upholds of Three Theatrical Categories ( New Historical Drama，Adapted Traditional Drama and Modern Drama). 7 A Review of The Theatrical Development from 1949 to 1962.
Volume 4:
PART I The Consummate Features and Three Prominences in the Portrayal of Heroes. 1 Modern Drama and "Feudalism, Capitalism and Revisionism" . 2 Eight "Model Scripts" . 3 Post-"Model Plays" Era. PART II Returning to "the Period Prior to "the Cultural Revolution (1949—1966)" and Embracing the New Millennium . 4 Returning to "the Period Prior to "the Cultural Revolution (1949—1966)" . 5 Theatrical Crisis and Rejuvenation . 6 Diversified Trends in 1990s. Conclusion: Looking Back and Looking Forward.
Biography
Fu Jin, Vice Chairman of the China Literature and Art Critics Association, Member of the Disciplinary Review Group of the Academic Degrees Committee of the State Council (Drama and Film＆Television); Professor and Doctoral Supervisor at the School Of Liberal Arts, Nanjing University; and Director of the Academic Committee of the National Academy of Chinese Theatrical Arts. He is mainly engaged in studies on Chinese drama.
