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Literature and Popular Culture - Priests and Playwrights

8 important questions on Literature and Popular Culture - Priests and Playwrights

Why is it not correct to say that Chinese drama was 'belated' in comparison to other genres and cultures as is often stressed in English?

This view uncritically privileges the written literary canon and disregards folk cultures. Chinese theatrical performances are (partially) based on shamanistic rituals and excorcisms of evil spirits.

Describe the variety plays which took place in the Song dynasty.

These are plays which opened with a medley followed by a number of short pieces that may not have been linked together by a single story or group of characters.

What are the major contributions of the Yuan dynasty's zaju to operatic theater and Chinese literature in general?

The zaju provided unity to northern drama by limiting the sung parts to a single actor and by its tight, four-act structure.
It provided a unique new form of verse; sanqu.

What was new about sanqu (a form of verse)?

It was an innovation in the coordination of verse with music. It allowed for a certain amount of variation and the addition of grammatical particles and colloquial expressions.

With which city was Zaju associated?

With the city of Dadu (modern Beijing).

What is chuanqi drama?

This is southern drama which came into existence in the Song dynasty. It was often based on the chuanqi Tang tales. These dramas were often very long; 30 to 40 scenes.

With which cities are chuanqi dramas associated?

With the opulent and culturally sophisticated cities of Hangzhou and Suzhou.

Why is the Beijing opera of importance (despite the fact that it is of less literary interest than earlier pieces)?

The earlier plays give little idea about the unique stagecraft and dramaturgy of Chinese drama. Only by looking at Beijing opera we can get an idea of how costume and makeup are manipulated to signal roles. In addition, based on the Beijing opera it is assumed that these earlier pieces also only used few props and scenic backdrops, but instead relied on descriptive dialogue, stock gestures and symbolic objects to suggest location and movement.

The question on the page originate from the summary of the following study material:

Understanding contemporary China | 9781588268440 | Robert E Gamer

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Literature and Popular Culture - Priests and Playwrights

8 important questions on Literature and Popular Culture - Priests and Playwrights

Why is it not correct to say that Chinese drama was 'belated' in comparison to other genres and cultures as is often stressed in English?

Describe the variety plays which took place in the Song dynasty.

What are the major contributions of the Yuan dynasty's zaju to operatic theater and Chinese literature in general?

What was new about sanqu (a form of verse)?

With which city was Zaju associated?

What is chuanqi drama?

With which cities are chuanqi dramas associated?

Why is the Beijing opera of importance (despite the fact that it is of less literary interest than earlier pieces)?

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