“Chinese Theater in the Present Age” Workshop - May 30, 2024

Event Introduction

Modern Chinese theater is a product of the encounters and dialogues among diverse artistic forms from different eras and cultures. The origins of Chinese theatre trace back over a thousand years to the bustling markets of the Song and Yuan dynasties. From the early nanxi Southern Dramas to the chuanqi long plays of the Ming and Qing dynasties, and from the zaju dramas of the Yuan capital to the various regional operatic of our current world, Chinese opera embodies an enduring cultural legacy within Chinese literature and has become a timeless artistic tradition on stage.

In the present age, where economic and cultural exchanges are increasingly global and theatrical arts flourish worldwide, how can Chinese opera make itself anew while preserving its traditional aesthetics to tell unique modern stories? When the “theater” as we know it becomes a phenomenon that transcends cultural, national, and even linguistic boundaries, how will Chinese theatre negotiate with and avail itself of its cultural heritage?

The "Chinese Theater in the Present Age" workshop, organized by the Global Youth Alliance for Chinese Drama (GYACD), invites experts, scholars, practitioners, teachers, and student representatives from around the world to explore the conventions and innovations, the developments and heritages, and the present and future of Chinese theatre. The panelists’ talks will be organized chronologically, exploring the various forms of Chinese theatrical traditions from the Ming and Qing dynasties to the present day.

Professor Chenlin Wei will begin by introducing the aesthetic characteristics of classical Xiqu (Chinese Opera). Yiwen Wu will then examine the cultural exchanges on Chinese and Euro-American stages in the 20th century. Dr. Yunqi Zhang, drawing on her extensive experience as a practitioner of Chinese opera, will discuss the heritage and reformation of Kunqu opera since 1949. Following this, Senior Teacher Cunfu Lin will explore the importance of theatre in liberal arts education for high school students. GYACD’s high school student representative Annie Wu will serve as the respondent and engage in further discussions with our four panelists from a high school student’s perspective.

Panelist Bios and Talk Titles:

Other Participants

Audio Recording & Slides: The Aesthetics of Classical Xiqu (Chinese Opera) by Professor Chenlin Wei [In Chinese, with English Translation]

Audio Recording: All the World’s a Stage: The Power of Transcultural Theater by Yiwen Wu [In English]

Audio Recording & Slides: What is Tradition: The Heritage and Reformation of Kunqu Repertoire Since 1949 by Dr. Yunqi Zhang [In Chinese, with English Translation]

Audio Recording: Drama in Education: Applications and Reflections for Humanities Pedagogy in Secondary Education by Cunfu Lin [In Chinese, with English Translation]