25 August 2025, Volume 0 Issue 8

    

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New Essays
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  Interpretation and Construction: A Review of Theater Theory and Criticism Research in 2024

  Guan Yue, Li Zhiyuan

  Sichuan Drama. 2025, 0(8): 6-12.

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  Research on Chinese theater theory and criticism in 2024 continued established trends while demonstrating two distinctive characteristics: interpretation and construction. Specifically, scholarship focused on four dimensions: the theoretical exegesis of theater critics, multidimensional interpretation of theoretical frameworks and discursive formations, macro-level examinations of theater criticism, and multifaceted studies of performance theory. Notably, discussions regarding effective theater criticism remained underdeveloped without substantive progress. However, scholarly efforts to construct taxonomic systems for historical theater materials addressed significant gaps in prior research.
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  Contemporary Film Criticism through the Lens of Marxist Aesthetics: An Interview with Professor Wang Jie

  Que Ning, Wang Jie

  Sichuan Drama. 2025, 0(8): 13-19.

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  Wang Jie, distinguished film critic; professor and PhD supervisor at the School of Philosophy, Zhejiang University; recipient of the prestigious Changjiang Scholar award from the Ministry of Education; editor-in-chief of Research on Marxist Aesthetics; director of the China Literary and Art Criticism (Zhejiang University) Base; chair of the Professional Committee on Marxist Aesthetics under the Chinese Society for Aesthetics; Vice President of the Chinese Society for Anthropology of Arts.
Special Topic/Studies in Anti-Japanese War DramaⅡ
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  Theoretical Resources and Discursive Construction of Shakespeare Studies in Wartime China: An Analysis on the Publication of "Shakespeare Drama Special Issues" in the Republican-Era Journals

  Li Weimin

  Sichuan Drama. 2025, 0(8): 20-26.

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  During the War of Resistance against Japan, Chinese literary and theatrical journals published "Shakespeare Drama Special Issues," comprising domestic scholarly essays and translations of Soviet-Russian Shakespeare studies. These publications endorsed Marxist approaches to Shakespeare, emphasizing realist aesthetics while critiquing abstract "humanism" that negated class consciousness. Amid national crisis, these special issues facilitated Shakespeare′s dissemination in China, fostering cultural resilience and intellectual sovereignty against colonial aggression.
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  Reform and Historical Experience of Guangxi Opera during the Second Sino-Japanese War

  Xie Min

  Sichuan Drama. 2025, 0(8): 27-32.

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  During the Second Sino-Japanese War, cultural and artistic practitioners in China′s southwestern hinterland launched comprehensive reforms of Guangxi Opera, focusing on content adaptation, formal innovation, and talent cultivation to transform the art form into an effective tool for wartime propaganda. Influential figures such as Ouyang Yuqian, Jiao Juyin, and Tian Han established concrete guidelines for reform, systematically removing traditional ideologies that hindered mobilization and refining theatrical techniques through the challenges of war. These efforts reflected a conscious shift toward populist values. While these reforms appeared as innovations in content and form, they also revealed the inherent tensions of wartime artistic practice, shaped by the interplay of diverse sociopolitical forces. Rooted in the historical context of the Second Sino-Japanese War, the reform of Guangxi Opera carried significant socio-political implications, aligning with nation-building efforts and exemplifying the vitality of the National Theatre Movement under wartime conditions. Ultimately, these reforms played a crucial role in the broader transformation of traditional Chinese opera.
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  The 1938 First Drama Festival and The Resistance against Japanese Aggression & National Salvation Efforts in the Rear Area

  Lan Tianchen

  Sichuan Drama. 2025, 0(8): 33-37.

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  The 1938 Drama Festival was China′s first nationwide theatrical event explicitly named a "Drama Festival." It was also an inaugural event of such kind, organized by left-wing patriots during the cooperation between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party. As the war against Japanese aggression reached a stalemate, the relocation of the Kuomintang government to Chongqing significantly altered the region′s spatial dynamics, leading to an influx of talent and resources. Under such circumstances, the festival used drama to strengthen national resolve, promote unity, and foster solidarity between the rear areas and the front line. With a focus on national defense, the festival turned the power of theatre into the force of national salvation and played a crucial role in China′s fight for independence.
Opera Studies
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  Narrative Pathways and Key Scenes Design in Depicting Love-Sickness in Qing Chuanqi

  Ding Shumei, Dong Xinru

  Sichuan Drama. 2025, 0(8): 38-45.

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  Qing chuanqi plays exhibit distinct narratological tendencies in representing love-sickness (xiangsi bing), repeatedly delineating pathological manifestations to map the progression of the illness. By examining the tripartite narrative pathway—onset, progression, and resolution—this study analyzes how these works employ historical upheavals and symbolic props to advance plots, ingeniously construct key scenes through divination and dream unions, and subvert conventional happy endings via resurrection rituals and the practice of neutralizing negative energies. Such scene-setting through pathological contexts demonstrates innovative breakthroughs beyond stereotypical portrayals of love-sickness inherited from Yuan-Ming traditions. The narrative strategies and key scenes design further reveal the genre′s complex signification in intensifying illness representation, reflecting socio-historical adaptability and individual artistic responses.
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  "Choreographing Body Postures" and "Playwriting": Creative Concepts in Peking Opera′s Second Tradition

  Zhang Weipin

  Sichuan Drama. 2025, 0(8): 46-51.

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  Recently, scholars debate on the artistic collaboration between Qi Rushan and Mei Lanfang, with "choreographing body postures" and "playwriting" serving as focal points. While documented evidence confirms Qi′s significant influence on Mei′s gestural and expressive performance, their divergent interpretations of "playwriting" have led to scholarly contention. Mei Lanfang′s theatrical production, intertwined with the Second Tradition of Peking Opera he pioneered, exhibits tendencies of industrialized production under capitalist frameworks. This creative paradigm further permeates the Third Tradition, manifesting in contemporary newly composed plays.
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  Symbiosis and Evolution: Kunqu and Literati Spirit

  Xu Junfei

  Sichuan Drama. 2025, 0(8): 52-56.

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  As an epitome of literati theater, Kunqu functioned as a spiritual medium for Ming-Qing scholars to articulate emotions and philosophical ideals. Within Confucian frameworks, This paper explores its symbiotic relationship with intellectual elites and its impact on Chinese theatrical history. Kunqu′s trajectory inextricably linked to the fate of the scholar-official class. Its literary depth, philosophical undertones, and refined aesthetics not only reflect literati tastes, but also embody traditional cultural values.
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  Breakthroughs and Challenges in Youth-Oriented Narratives in Chinese Opera: A Case Study of the Yue Opera My Grand View Garden

  Chi Linggang

  Sichuan Drama. 2025, 0(8): 57-61.

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  In response to the growing challenge posed by audio-visual media, the aesthetic divide between different age groups, and a stagnating performance market, youth-oriented narratives have emerged as a critical strategy for promoting the development of Chinese opera in the modern era. These narratives, with their potential to attract younger audiences and secure the future of the performance space, have become key to revitalizing the genre. The Yue Opera My Grand View Garden offers a fresh interpretation of the Chinese classic A Dream of the Red Chamber, reimagining it from a youthful perspective. Employing techniques of "zoom in/out" and "tilt-shift" in reconstruction, this production serves as an important experimental model for the modernization of Chinese opera in narrative forms. Under the combined influence of big data-driven traffic algorithms and the "fan effect" of new media, the performance has achieved remarkable success in the market, becoming a cultural phenomenon. However, it also faces challenges, including a dilution of its artistic essence, a shifting dramatic core, and external media influences. To address these issues, new aesthetic reflections are required to clarify the priorities and boundaries between tradition and innovation.
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  Creative Techniques, Artistic Characteristics, and Value Authentication of Wei Minglun′s Dramatic Works

  Wang Yuming, GaoYue

  Sichuan Drama. 2025, 0(8): 62-65.

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  Excellent scripts not only lay the foundation for actors′ stage performances, but also improve the stage presentation effect of the plot and deepen the stage expression of the connotation, so they play a crucial role in drama creation. Wei Minglun′s dramatic works have ushered in groundbreaking innovations within the tradition of Sichuan opera. His scripts not only surpass established conventions in terms of stagecraft and visual presentation but also achieve revolutionary advances in thematic depth and ideological expression. This article analyzes Wei Minglun′s classic plays, distinctive artistic features, and the processes by which their cultural and aesthetic value is validated.
Theatrical Space
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  Presence, Embodiment, and Virtuality: The Reconstruction and Practice of Theatricality under the Mediation of Digital Technology

  Li Zixi

  Sichuan Drama. 2025, 0(8): 66-71.

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  The mediation of digital technology actively participates in theatrical practice, redefining the core dimensions of theatricality—presence, simultaneity, and embodiment—as mediated presence, embodied perception, and hypermediated virtuality. The visibility of digital technology disrupts the immersive illusion, prompting reflexive viewing and allowing participants to engage multiple senses in re-experiencing the theatrical space. This creates new narrative possibilities and spatial constructs, while inspiring viewers to rediscover and redefine theatricality through these authentic technological illusions.
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  The Construction of Beijing as a "Capital of Performing Arts" from the Perspective of "Great Theatre in Beijing"

  Jing Junmei

  Sichuan Drama. 2025, 0(8): 72-75.

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  The proposal to establish Beijing as a "Capital of Performing Arts" aligns with its cultural trends in urban development and serves as a significant driving force to meet the public′s spiritual and cultural needs. The construction of a "Capital of Performing Arts" complements the 'Great Theatre in Beijing' initiative, becoming an essential component in building a national cultural centre. Looking back, "Great Theatre in Beijing" has been implemented for three years, during which the city′s theatrical industry has undergone many new changes and highlights, mainly in three aspects: First, the "Great Theatre in Beijing" performance season has been optimized year by year, with continuous improvement in both the quantity and quality of productions; second, the performing arts market features a rich variety of artistic genres, and branded events have strong influence and driving power; third, market vitality continues to increase, with holiday consumption rising annually. In the future, Beijing should leverage its existing cultural resources to strengthen resident performances and repertoire development; plan cultural facilities based on advantages in population, transportation, and resources to enhance theater operations; and optimize the performing arts industry chain to build a service-oriented, refined, and high-quality performing arts ecosystem.
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  A Study of the Opera Jiang Jie and the Construction of Revolutionary Collective Memory in Chongqing

  Zhu Guangming

  Sichuan Drama. 2025, 0(8): 76-79.

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  Through the use of a series of revolutionary discourses, The Opera Jiang Jie has strongly shaped local culture in Chongqing, constructing the social framework of revolutionary collective memory across temporal and spatial dimensions. Furthermore, the media transformation from the novel Red Crag to the opera Jiang Jie has achieved a textual reconstruction of revolutionary collective memory by shaping the iconic image of the revolutionary Jiang Jie. At the same time, the opera realizes a practice of power over local culture by promoting revolutionary themes and setting discursive norms, thus building a sacred collective memory of revolution in Chongqing.
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  An Analysis of "Drama–Music" Construction in the National Opera Tongxin Jie

  Zhang Yanchuan

  Sichuan Drama. 2025, 0(8): 80-83.

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  This paper takes the national opera Tongxin Jie as its subject,conduct an in-depth analysis of the intrinsic mechanisms and new artistic qualities of its collaborative "drama–music" construction. The article focuses on how the opera employs polyphonic narrative and montage techniques to generate emotional resonance that transcends national boundaries; it examines the symbolic evolution of the central image Tongxin Jie the ritualized inscription of the heroic body, and the power metaphors embodied within spatial soundscapes. The paper also unpacks how Chinese and North Korean folk songs are intricately used to reinforce the expressive potency of the drama. Ultimately, the study distills the opera′s creative insights in three areas: breaking free from linear didactic conventions, achieving deep cultural integration, and constructing symbolic resonance.
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  Exploring the Narrative Characteristics of the Musical The Rain of Osmanthus Flowers

  Zhang Can

  Sichuan Drama. 2025, 0(8): 84-86.

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  Recent years have witnessed a trend of incorporating local folk songs into musicals to champion the spirit of the times, many of which are exceptional. Effectively telling Chinese stories in contemporary society, with its diverse aesthetic preferences, requires ongoing exploration by artists. The Rain of Osmanthus Flowers, a musical created and staged by the Guangxi Song and Dance Theatre, tells a story of commitment spanning 60 years through time-space reconstruction and a dual narrative structure. This approach not only adds new dimensions to the theme of integrity but also infuses contemporary theatrical creation with fresh vitality.
Audio Visual Explorations
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  Suspensive Subjectivity, Folded Space, and Centrifugal Intermediality: The Aesthetics of "Factory-Site Films" by New Generation Directors

  Cai Xiaofang, Zheng Liqi

  Sichuan Drama. 2025, 0(8): 87-93.

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  A generational shift is occurring in "factory-site film" creation, from Sixth Generation directors to New Generation auteurs. Examining post-2000 works, this paper identifies three overlooked features that signal an emergent aesthetic paradigm: transforming material ruins into philosophical contemplative spaces; constructing cultural interfaces between historical memory and contemporary experience through virtual-material tensions; and providing cognitive topographies for memory reconstruction in post-industrial societies.
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  Returning to the Lifeworld: On the Ethical Transcendence of Chinese Animated Films

  Zhao Lu

  Sichuan Drama. 2025, 0(8): 94-97.

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  In the process of constructing cultural identity by emphasizing national characteristics, Chinese animated films often regard the absorption of traditional cultural elements as the core path to shape their self-image. The problem lies in the phenomenon of forced grafting that often occurs in this integration, which disconnects from contemporary life, much like the cultural adaptation dilemmas presented by the continuous infiltration of Western artistic elements into Chinese animated films. As both animated film creation and audience lifestyles continue to evolve, the demand for art to integrate into daily experiences has become increasingly prominent. However, the deep-seated cultural genes contained within traditional cultural elements still await opportunities for meaningful dialogue with modern living contexts. The commercialization and popularization of artistic works not only heighten audiences′ awareness of the suppression brought by consumer culture but also prompt them to seek reflections of their personal life experiences within these works. Viewers attempt to transcend realistic limitations through the artistic expression of animated films, ultimately returning to a broader lifewold.
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  Innovation in Digital Expression of Chinese Animation Film′s Freehand Aesthetics in a New Audiovisual Context: A Case Study of Ne Zha 2

  Li Guanbo

  Sichuan Drama. 2025, 0(8): 98-102.

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  Since its inception in the 1920s, Chinese animated film has consistently explored and innovatively applied freehand aesthetics in its mainstream creative practice. In the 21st century, the rapid evolution of digital technology has been restructuring the audio-visual field, creating a new landscape characterized by digitization, connectivity, and intelligence. This shift presents both opportunities and challenges for the multiple-dimensional integration and development of animation films. Released in early 2025, Ne Zha 2 stands out for its unique visual presentation and cultural expression, serving as a representative example of the digital expression of freehand aesthetics in Chinese animation within the new audio-visual context. The film innovates the digital appilcation of traditional freehand aesthetics in modern animation, meets the emotional needs of diverse audiences, enhances the "smart production" capabilities of China′s animation industry, and increases the global influence of Chinese traditional aesthetics in the digital age.
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  Audiovisual Expression and Aesthetic Construction of Domestic Variety Shows from the Perspective of Intermediality

  He Yan, Lin Chen

  Sichuan Drama. 2025, 0(8): 103-107.

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  The theoretical perspective of intermediality offers a new explanatory path for the morphological evolution and aesthetic renewal of variety shows. Through the integration of media elements such as vision and imagery, traditional artistic media and modern technological media become interwoven. Variety shows construct a culturally rich field of meaning within new expressions, new scenarios, and new interactions. These changes lead to updates in audiovisual forms, aesthetic forms, and audience aesthetic experiences. The reconstruction of these aesthetic experiences is not only reflected in the multisensory fusion and the expansion of perceptual boundaries but also in the reshaping of aesthetic memory by digital spacetime, thereby building a new kind of "emotional community."
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  Dimension Expansion, Intertextuality and Dialogue: The Polyphonic Narrative Strategies of Historical and Cultural Variety Shows

  Jiao Meng, Yuan Jun

  Sichuan Drama. 2025, 0(8): 108-112.

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  A series of historical and cultural variety shows meticulously produced and launched by China Media Group, such as National Treasure, China in the Classics, Discovering China through Bamboo and Wooden Slips, Biographies of Great Masters, and China in Poetry and Painting, have abandoned the single-dimensional communication paradigm of cultural recitation and knowledge analysis. Instead, they have demonstrated the polyphonic narrative characteristics of interwoven multiple voices, allowing the audience to feel the vivid vitality of the Chinese cultural context while looking back at the millennia, thus generating a deep-rooted cultural identity and emotional resonance. This article aims to elaborate on the polyphonic narrative strategies of historical and cultural variety shows from three dimensions: temporal-spatial dimension expansion, textual intertextuality, and multi-voice dialogue.
Cultural Integration
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  From Historical Origins to Theoretical Frontiers: A Summary of the Academic Symposium "Concepts and Methods: Historicity, Contemporaneity, and Modernity in the Critical Discourse System of Chinese Drama and Film/TV"

  Zhao Zhiyun

  Sichuan Drama. 2025, 0(8): 113-116.

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  The academic symposium "Concepts and Methods: Historicity, Contemporaneity, and Modernity in the Critical Discourse of Chinese Drama and Film/TV" was successfully held at Peking University. Scholars and experts from universities and research institutions nationwide engaged in in-depth exchanges focusing on the historical trajectory, contemporary challenges, and future prospects of Chinese drama criticism discourse. Participants generally agreed that drama and traditional Chinese opera criticism should be grounded in local practices and intellectual traditions while maintaining a global perspective and innovative mindset. This symposium provided significant academic support and intellectual inspiration for advancing the development of China′s critical discourse system for drama and traditional Chinese opera.
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  Feasibility Study on Piano Composition Integrating Elements of Sichuan Opera: A Case Study of Zhang Zhiliang′s Piano Composition Qiao Ling Liu Dan

  Ma Kunjie, Yue Shengdong

  Sichuan Drama. 2025, 0(8): 117-121.

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  As a significant component of traditional Chinese opera, Sichuan Opera possesses distinctive musical charm and dramatic expressiveness. This study takes as its focal point the novel medium of "Sichuan Opera-Piano Fusion Creation," which integrates elements of Sichuan Opera into piano composition. Using Zhang Zhiliang′s Sichuan Opera-inspired piano piece Qiao Ling Liu Dan (Vivacious Female Roles) as a practical case, the paper demonstrates the feasibility of accurately representing the art of Sichuan Opera on the piano. Furthermore, it argues that by incorporating the piano—an internationally recognized instrument—Sichuan Opera gains enhanced dissemination potential among younger audiences and broader reach within international markets.
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  An Analysis of the Spiritual Essence and Stylistic Features of Tibetan Opera Music in Kham Region

  Shi Liuwanyue, Wang Hao

  Sichuan Drama. 2025, 0(8): 122-125.

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  Tibetan Opera′s unique musical art possesses respective artistic conceptions and characteristics, among which the Tibetan Opera music of the Kham region stands out as particularly captivating. This study examines the origins and classification of Kham Tibetan Opera, analyzes the spiritual essence and stylistic features of its three major musical traditions, and explores future development prospects. The research aims to further promote the preservation, transmission, and innovative development of Kham Tibetan Opera music.
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  Exploration into the Integration and Development of Traditional Qiang Festivals and Rural Revitalization

  Chen Qian

  Sichuan Drama. 2025, 0(8): 126-128.

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  This article explores the inherent connection and practical strategies between traditional Qiang festivals and the integrated development of rural revitalization based on their resource conditions. As a comprehensive folk activity, traditional festivals of the Qiang ethnic group are important carriers of their historical memory, religious rituals, and life wisdom. In the process of rural revitalization, traditional festivals have the dual attributes of cultural governance tools and endogenous development momentum. By implementing a three-level strategy of experiential innovation, spatial reconstruction, and brand construction, the deep integration of the two can be promoted, which helps to explore the cultural essence of Qiang traditional festivals and inject spiritual power into rural development in Qiang areas.