Tradition and Modernity Two Modern Adaptations of the Chinese Opera Hezhu’s Match

• Published in: Asian theatre journal Vol. 36; no. 2; pp. 416 - 438
• Main Author: Yu, Shiao-ling
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Honolulu University of Hawai'i Press 22.09.2019; University of Hawaii Press
• Subjects: 20th century; Adaptations; Analysis; Chinese languages; Chinese literature; Chinese opera; Criticism and interpretation; Dramatists; Jiao Juyin; Lao She (1899-1966); Modernism; Modernity; Musical theater; Musical theatre; Performance (Arts); Politics; Theater; China; Taiwan; Beijing China; New York; United States > US
• ISSN: 0742-5457; 1527-2109; 1527-2109
• DOI: 10.1353/atj.2019.0032

Introduction of Western-style drama into China in the early twentieth century produced a new dramatic genre, huaju (spoken drama), which is distinguished from traditional xiqu (musical theatre) by its use of spoken dialog and a more realistic portrayal of contemporary life. Many reform-minded Chinese intellectuals saw in this new drama a fitting vehicle to promote social reforms. Some of them even advocated replacing the old theatre with this more socially conscious form of theatre. While spoken drama became the favorite of the intellectual elites, traditional theatre, with its deep cultural roots and many regional forms, remained the popular form of entertainment for the masses. This article investigates the interactions between these two theatrical forms by analyzing two modern adaptations of the play Hezhu pei (Hezhu’s Match), one produced in mainland China, one in Taiwan. It will examine how the adapters utilized traditional sources to produce plays more relevant to contemporary society, and what performance techniques they employed to replace the old convention of song and dance. In addition to the old versus the new, the Chinese and Taiwanese adaptations will be compared to illuminate how social and political conditions influenced literary and artistic creations. My study will also discuss how the Taiwanese production marked the beginning of the Little Theatre Movement, which ushered in a new era in modern drama in Taiwan. Shiao-ling Yu is an associate professor of Chinese at Oregon State University. Her research interests are Chinese drama (both classical and modern), intercultural theatre, and gender and theatre. Her anthology Chinese Drama after the Cultural Revolution was awarded a National Endowment for Arts translation fellowship. Her other publications include book chapters in edited anthologies and articles in peer-reviewed journals, such as The Columbia Anthology of Modern Chinese Drama, Nativism Overseas: Contemporary Chinese Women Writers, World Theories of Theatre, Asian Theatre Journal, The China Quarterly, Chinese Literature Today, CHINOPERL, Comparative Literature Studies, and TDR/Drama Review.