This book offers a stimulating introduction to the Hokkien music drama known as liyuanxi (‘pear garden theatre’), heir and current expression of one of China’s oldest unbroken xiqu (‘Chinese opera’) traditions. It considers the genre’s history prior to the 20th century, its signal successes before and after the Cultural Revolution, and its national prominence today. Beginning with an analysis of the form’s aesthetics and techniques, it proceeds to an overview of its rich and distinctive narrative repertoire, including several dramas unique to the genre.
Josh Stenberg illustrates liyuanxi’s distinctive musical and narrative qualities and presents the performance art’s place, not only in Chinese drama and theatre history, but also in the culture of the historic port city of Quanzhou and the broader Hokkien region and diaspora. This study focuses on the work of the only professional theatre troupe in the genre, the Fujian Province Liyuanxi Experimental Theatre (FPLET), and examines the practice of director and leading actor Zeng Jingping, whose performances have focused attention on the genre’s expression of women’s desires and ambitions, and on her colleague, playwright Wang Renjie. It argues that new scripts engage with the issues of contemporary China while respecting the genre’s traditions and conventions, and have led to rewritings of traditional repertoire by younger female authors. Stenberg’s book skilfully demonstrates how a traditional theatre can adapt and thrive in a contemporary society, providing an indispensable introduction while whetting the appetite for the genre’s exhilarating live performances.
List of Illustrations Acknowledgments Series Preface Preface Introduction: Liyuanxi in the Family of Chinese Theatres Quanzhou and Hokkien Culture and Identity Origin of the Genre Name and Role of Marshal Tian Three Tendencies of Liyuanxi 1. Liyuanxi History Early History and Textual Heritage Liyuanxi in the Modern Era The Troupe in Society Diasporic Liyuanxi 2. Performance Foundations and Style Aesthetics and Technique Stage Motion Role Types Liyuanxi Speech, Music and Prosody Make-up, Costumes, Stages 3. Repertoire Overview Traditional Romantic Play: Chen San and Wuniang Zhu Wen and the Lucky Coins: Traditional Ghost Play Traditional Humorous Play: Zhu Maichen Contemporary Tragic Play: The Chaste Woman’s Lament Contemporary Humorous Play: Scholar Dong and Madam Li Revising for Gender: The Imperial Stele Conclusions Endnotes Bibliography Index
Josh Stenberg is a lecturer in Chinese Studies at the School of Languages and Cultures in the University of Sydney, Australia. For the last fifteen years, he has worked for, on, and with xiqu (Chinese opera) companies and performers.
Reviews for Liyuanxi - Chinese 'Pear Garden Theatre'
This is a very important book on a unique genre of Chinese opera that, I believe, will benefit students of world theater. * Liana Chen, George Washington University, USA *
