The Contemporary Chinese Historical Drama: Four StudiesChina's "Great Leap Forward" of 1958-1961 was a time of official rejoicing over the achievements of Communism, but it was also a time of immense suffering. Growing dissent among intellectuals stimulated creativity as writers sought to express both their hope for the success of the revolution and their dissatisfaction with the Party leadership and policies. But the uneasy political climate and the state's control over literature prevented writers from directly addressing the compelling problems of the time. Rather, they resorted to a variety of sophisticated and time-honored forms for airing their grievances, including the historical drama. Rudolf Wagner examines three of these plays written and performed between 1958 and 1963 in an effort to decode their hidden political and cultural meanings. He also provides a broad survey of the politics of the historical drama in China, suggesting further avenues of inquiry into the relationship between literature and the state. This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press’s mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1990. |
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Ahmad Anti-Rightist attack Beijing Cai Wenji Chairman China Chinese Communist contemporary court crisis criticism Cultural Revolution daring dismissed Dou E yuan dynasty emperor empress faction Guan Hanqing Guan Hanqing's Guan's Guo Moruo Heaven hero historical drama historical play Horikhoson Huiniang Ibid intellectuals Jian Jiang Qing Juben Kang Sheng killed land leaders leadership Leap literary Mao Zedong Mao's minister Monkey officials Party Peking opera Peng Dehuai picture book pilgrims plot poem political present remonstrance renmin meishu Press Renmin ribao role Rui baguan Rui play Rui shangshu Rui's scene Shanghai Shanghai renmin meishu social Song stage Sun Wukong Sun Wukong sanda Tang Seng theme Tian Han Tian's tion unjust verdict villains Wei Zheng wenxue wenyi White-Bone Demon writing Wu Han Wu Zetian Wukong sanda baigujing Xie Yaohuan xiju Xijubao Xiyou ji young woman Zhang Zhang Cong Zhao Hongben Zhiyan Zhou Enlai Zhu Bajie Zhu Lianxiu