LITERATURE+and+THEATRE

By: Danielle Shilling "Snow dances quickly in the whirling wind". This is part of a famous Chinese poem called Facing Snow by, Du Fu. Chinese poetry has been a part of culture and was used 1,000 years before Confucius, an educator and an important figure to the Chinese. Chinese poetry is an important part of the Chinese culture. __Poetry has become part of Chinese culture through its history, its famous poets, and the many forms of poetry.__ Poetry has made a lot of differences and many famous poets added to the development. Here are some of the history, poets, and main types of Chinese poetry.
 * CHINESE POETRY **

Qu Yuan was the first person that is known of, to write poetry. When he started to write his poetry Romanticism started which was a period of time filled with emotions and art. “The Book of Songs marked the beginning of Chinese literature, and also the beginning of realism in literature”. ( [|http://www.pasadena.edu/divisions/language/chinese//cultural/poetry.html])       During the different time period’s poetry changed by what was in them and the way that they were written. For example, during the period of the   two Han Dynasties most of the poets wrote with 5 character lines. When poetry was written in the Tang Dynasty period it changed a little. During the Tang Dynasty there were a lot more different of kinds. Also, during the Tang Dynasty the themes were wider and there were a lot more pictures. As a child if you wanted to pass tests you would need to know how to write poetry. P oetry was very important to the culture back then and it still is now to this day. There are many famous Chinese poets. Some of the greatest poetry comes from China. Some of the more famous poets are Li Bai, Du Fu, and Bai Juyi. They all did great works of writing and they all worked really hard on poetry. “ He wrote as many as 900 poems. Some of them describe the life of the people; some describe the magnificent scenery he saw; others express his own wishes and sorrows”. ( [|http://www.pasadena.edu/divisions/language/chinese//cultural/poetry.html])     This is talking about the famous poet Li Bai, born in the 700’s. He was called a romantic poet because his work showed a weird type of imagination and showed a lot of feeling.

There are many forms of poetry but the main three are lu shi, gu shi, and jue ju. The first main form is lu shi which is two or more parallel groups. This kind of poetry almost sounds like music. The second form is gu shi which is the old fashioned type of poetry. “ In a long poem of the old style the rhymes can be changed almost at any place, as a rule from even to inflected tones or vice versa”. ( [] )     It is the opposite of the first form and is very free flowing. This type of poetry is much more free spirited and careless. The last form is jue ju and the point of this type of poem is trying to state a mood. This form only has four lines of five or seven syllables each. These are the main three types of forms of poetry that are commonly used.

Chinese poetry was a big part of culture and still is to this day. There is a lot of history, famous poets and different forms. Poetry can express emotions and feelings in a very artistic way. That is why poetry is an important part of the Chinese culture.“ But we’ll soon have a greeting without a goodbye, at our next merry meeting away in the sky”. (Li Po  ) 

__Chinese Theater__ By: Nikita Brennan When most Americans think of the Chinese culture, the country’s food is the first thing that comes to mind. This is unfortunate since China’s society is made up of many other important parts. Among these little-known characteristics is Chinese theater. It includes many different types of performances, all of which are native to China and its people. With each new dynasty, the Chinese theater changed. In some cases, the various performances were modernized; in other situations a whole new type of entertainment was created. As a result of these constant changes, there is lots of variety and opportunities entertain and make social commentary in Chinese theater. However, all forms of Chinese theater, especially shadow puppetry, opera, and Xiangsheng, are very important to Chinese culture. These art forms are unique in their history and purpose, yet together they make up the backbone of Chinese theater. Shadow puppetry was created during the Han dynasty, more than two thousand years ago. Emperor Wu of Han’s beloved wife had passed away, and he was overcome with grief. He ordered his court officers to bring her back to life, but they could do no such thing. Instead, the officers made a replica of the woman’s body, complete with pivots which allowed her joints to move. Using an oil lamp, they moved the pivots and made her shadow come to life. This was the birth of shadow puppetry. This form of entertainment gained much popularity during the Song dynasty (960 A.D. - 1279 A.D.). During this dynasty, the new tradition of performing these plays on every major holiday began. Shadow puppetry’s popularity increased even more during the Ming dynasty (1368 A.D. – 1644), when countless shadow puppet troupes assembled and performed throughout China. Shadow puppetry also became a favorite pastime of Chinese troops while they were in their barracks. “From 1796 to 1800, the government forbade the public showing of puppet shows to prevent the spread of a peasant uprising at the time” (Shadow Puppetry). This incident illustrates the great influence which this beloved art form had on the Chinese citizens. Today, Chinese people still enthusiastically take part in this classic art form, and perform and attend shadow puppet shows year-round, with a special focus on these performances during major holidays. While shadow puppetry has royal origins, Chinese opera is truly the people’s form of entertainment. This art form began during the Song dynasty (960 A.D. - 1279 A.D.), when there were many, widely-adored plays incorporating acrobatics and music. Later on, during the Yuan dynasty (1279 A.D. – 1368 A.D.), these performances developed further and adopted four or five act structures. The end result was a new kind of dramatic musical performance. These spread across China rapidly. Soon, many local variations had developed and were the most accessible form of entertainment for the Chinese. Regional operas portrayed the interests and concerns of a local village. For this reason, opera became to the average person’s form of entertainment. “While high society enjoyed zuju (opera) in the capital in the north, a folk tradition of opera known as “marvelous tales” flourished in the south…” (Wilson). As a result of the great numbers of people to which opera is available in China, this form is bound to have a visible affect on society. Comedy takes on many different forms throughout the world. For example, in America stand up comedy and television situation comedies are the most popular forms of comedy. In China, however, xiangsheng is the most wide-spread and identifiable form. It is a satirical and humorous commentary on current events, people’s attitudes, and personalities in the news. The reasons for its popularity are numerous. “Xiangsheng gained national prominence after 1949 as Mandarin Chinese was promoted as the standard, national language and xiangsheng became available to a mass audience through radio and, increasingly after the mid-1970s, television” (Dashan). As more people became familiar with, and fond of, Xiangsheng, it began to have a greater affect on the country’s culture. For instance, as China became an increasingly international nation, xiangsheng also showed its racial acceptance when a Caucasian man became a famous xiangsheng commentator. Xiangsheng is commonly used for social commentary, and is one of the most modern forms of entertainment. Xiangsheng is yet another form of theater which truly does mirror the Chinese culture.

Although their origins and target audiences may differ, all of the variations of Chinese theater impact the country’s culture in some way. Despite shadow puppetry’s ancient beginnings, this form is still performed and enjoyed throughout China today. Chinese opera includes numerous local variations, which makes it one of the most relatable types of performances for the average person. Finally, Xiangsheng is the most current form of Chinese theater. With a growing audience, Xiangsheng is a string of comical comments about society. Since Chinese theater includes such a rich variety of performances, hopefully soon theater will accompany food in American’s mind when Chinese culture is being discussed.

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