"Clear Garden Talks About Opera"

Author: Wang Yuanhua
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2007-01-01
Features: This book is a collection of essays by the renowned scholar Wang Yuanhua on traditional Chinese opera, including topics such as "Discussions on Peking Opera and Traditional Culture," "Random Notes on Hu Shi and Peking Opera," "On the Role of the 'Zhezixi'," "On the Foundation and Schools of Opera," "The Clowns of Jing and Kun Opera," "Reflections on Wu Zixu," and "Zhao Shi Youqiong in Qin Opera." The author views Peking Opera through the lens of art, first considering it as a work of art. Appreciation is meant to fulfill artistic enjoyment, which encompasses the ideological connotations, moral concepts, and social values within the play. The author wrote these essays not only out of personal interest but also to explore "what continues to attract and delight us in the traditional resources of Chinese culture." He also cautions young friends: "Without skill, there is no Peking Opera. However, beyond skill, what is even more important is the emotional depth. If one merely follows the rules and conventions of Peking Opera predecessors but fails to understand the thoughts and emotions of the characters as they did, or cannot, as they did, convey style and demeanor in performance, then it is merely a superficial imitation in appearance but not in spirit. At the end of the book is an appendix titled 'A Comprehensive List of Wang Yuanhua's Writings on Opera.'"