A Brief History of Chinese Opera

Since the time of the Tang Dynastys Emperor Xuanzong from 712 to 755—who created the first national opera troupe called the Pear Garden—Chinese opera has been one of the most popular forms of entertainment in the country, but it actually started nearly a millennium before in the Yellow River Valley during the Qin Dynasty.   Now, more than a millennium after Xuanzongs death, it is enjoyed by political leaders and commoners alike in many fascinating and innovative ways, and Chinese opera performers are still referred to as Disciples of the Pear Garden, continuing to perform an astonishing 368 different forms of Chinese opera. Early Development Many of the features that characterize modern Chinese opera developed in northern China, particularly in the Shanxi and Gansu Provinces, including the use of certain set characters like Sheng (the man), Dan (the woman), Hua (the painted face) and Chou (the clown). In Yuan Dynasty times—from 1279 to 1368—opera performers began to use the vernacular language of the common people rather than Classical Chinese. During the Ming Dynasty—from 1368 to 1644—and the Qing Dynasty—from 1644 to 1911—the northern traditional singing and drama style from Shanxi was combined with melodies from a southern form of Chinese opera called Kunqu. This form was created in the Wu region, along the Yangtze River. Kunqu Opera revolves around the Kunshan melody, created in the coastal city of Kunshan. Many of the most famous operas that are still performed today are from the Kunqu repertoire, including The Peony Pavilion, The Peach Blossom Fan, and adaptations of the older Romance of the Three Kingdoms and Journey to the West. However, the stories have been rendered into various local dialects, including Mandarin for audiences in Beijing and other northern cities. The acting and singing techniques, as well as costumes and makeup conventions, also owe much to the northern Qinqiang or Shanxi tradition. Hundred Flowers Campaign This rich operatic heritage was almost lost during Chinas dark days in the mid-twentieth century. The Communist regime of the Peoples Republic of China—from 1949 to present—initially encouraged the production and performance of operas old and new. During the Hundred Flowers Campaign in 1956 and 57—in which the authorities under Mao encouraged intellectualism, the arts and even criticism of the government—Chinese opera blossomed anew. However, the Hundred Flowers Campaign may have been a trap. Beginning in July of 1957, the intellectuals and artists who had put themselves forward during Hundred Flowers period were purged. By December of that same year, a stunning 300,000 people had been  labeled  rightists and were subjected to punishments from informal criticism to internment in labor camps or even execution. This was a preview of the horrors of the Cultural Revolution of 1966 through 1976, which would imperil the very existence of Chinese opera and other traditional arts. Cultural Revolution The Cultural Revolution was the regimes attempt to destroy old ways of thinking by outlawing such traditions as fortune telling, paper-making, traditional Chinese dress and the study of classic literature and arts. An attack on one Beijing opera piece and its composer signaled the start of the Cultural Revolution. In 1960, Maos government had commissioned Professor Wu Han to write an opera about Hai Rui, a minister of the Ming Dynasty who was fired for criticizing the Emperor to his face. Audiences saw the play as a critique of the Emperor—and thus Mao—rather than of Hai Rui representing disgraced Minister of Defense Peng Dehuai. In reaction, Mao performed an about-face in 1965, publishing harsh criticism of the opera and of composer Wu Han, who was eventually fired. This was the opening salvo of the Cultural Revolution. For the next decade, opera troupes were disbanded, other composers and scriptwriters were purged and performances were banned. Until the fall of the Gang of Four in 1976, only eight model operas were allowed. These model operas were personally vetted by Madame Jiang Qing and were entirely politically innocuous. In essence, Chinese opera was dead. Modern Chinese Opera After 1976, Beijing opera and the other forms were revived, and once more placed within the national repertoire. Older performers who had survived the purges were allowed to pass on their knowledge to new students again. Traditional operas have been freely performed since 1976, though some newer works have been censored and new composers criticized as the political winds have shifted over the intervening decades. Chinese opera makeup is particularly fascinating and rich in meaning. A character with mostly red makeup or a red mask is brave and loyal. Black symbolizes boldness and impartiality. Yellow denotes ambition, while pink stands for sophistication and cool-headedness. Characters with primarily blue faces are fierce and far-seeing, while green faces show wild and impulsive behaviors. Those with white faces are treacherous and cunning—the villains of the show. Finally, an actor with only a small section of makeup in the center of the face, connecting the eyes and nose, is a clown. This is called xiaohualian, or the little  painted  face. Today, more than thirty forms of Chinese opera continue to be performed regularly throughout the country. Some of the most prominent of which are the Peking opera of Beijing, Huju opera of Shanghai, the Qinqiang of Shanxi, and Cantonese opera.   Beijing (Peking) Opera The dramatic art form known as Beijing opera—or Peking opera—has been a staple of Chinese entertainment for more than two centuries. It was founded in  1790 when the Four Great Anhui Troupes went to Beijing to perform for the Imperial Court. Some 40 years later, well-known opera troupes from Hubei joined the Anhui performers, melding their regional styles. Both the Hubei and Anhui opera troupes used two primary melodies adapted from the Shanxi musical tradition: Xipi and Erhuang. From this amalgam of local styles, the new Peking or Beijing opera developed. Today, Beijing Opera is considered  Chinas  national art form. Beijing Opera is famous for convoluted plots, vivid makeup, beautiful costumes and sets and the unique vocal style used by performers. Many of the 1,000 plots—perhaps not surprisingly—revolve around political and military strife, rather than romance. The basic stories are often hundreds or even thousands of years old involving historic and even supernatural beings.   Many fans of Beijing Opera are worried about the fate of this art form. The traditional plays make reference to many facts of pre-Cultural Revolution  life and history that are unfamiliar to young people. Furthermore, many of the stylized movements have particular meanings that can be lost on uninitiated audiences. Most troubling of all, operas must now compete with films, TV shows, computer games, and the internet for attention. The Chinese government is using grants and contests to encourage young artists to participate in Beijing Opera. Shanghai (Huju) Opera Shanghai opera (Huju) originated at about the same time as Beijing opera, around 200 years ago. However, the Shanghai version of opera is based on local folk-songs of the Huangpu River region rather than deriving from Anhui and Shanxi.  Huju  is performed in the Shanghainese dialect of Wu Chinese, which is not mutually intelligible with  Mandarin. In other words, a person from Beijing would not understand the lyrics of a  Huju  piece. Due to the relatively recent nature of the stories and songs that make up  Huju, the costumes and makeup are comparatively simple and modern. Shanghai opera performers wear costumes that resemble the street clothing of ordinary people from the pre-communist era. Their makeup is not much more elaborate than that worn by western stage actors, in stark contrast to the heavy and significant grease-paint used in the other Chinese Opera forms. Huju  had its heyday in the 1920s and 1930s. Many of the stories and songs of the Shanghai region show a definite western influence. This is not surprising, given that the major European powers maintained trading concessions and consular offices in the thriving port city, prior to World War II. Like many of the other regional opera styles,  Huju  is in danger of disappearing forever. Few young actors take up the art form since there is much greater fame and fortune to be had in movies, TV, or even Beijing Opera. Unlike Beijing Opera, which is now considered a national art form, Shanghai Opera is performed in a local dialect and thus does not translate well to other provinces. Nevertheless, the city of Shanghai has millions of residents, with tens of millions more in the near vicinity. If a concerted effort is made to introduce younger audiences to this interesting art form,  Huju  may survive to delight theater-goers for centuries to come. Shanxi Opera (Qinqiang) Most forms of Chinese opera owe their singing and acting styles, some of their melodies, and their plot-lines to the musically fertile Shanxi province, with its thousand-year-old Qinqiang  or  Luantan  folk melodies. This ancient form of art first appeared in the  Yellow River  Valley during the  Qin Dynasty  from B.C. 221 to 206 and was popularized at the Imperial Court at modern-day  Xian during the  Tang Era, which spanned from 618 to 907 A.D. The repertoire and symbolic movements continued to develop in Shanxi Province throughout the  Yuan Era  (1271-1368) and the Ming Era (1368-1644). During the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), Shanxi Opera was introduced to the court at Beijing. The Imperial audiences so enjoyed Shanxi singing that the form was incorporated into Beijing Opera, which is now a national artistic style. At one time, the repertoire of Qinqiang included over 10,000 operas; today, only about 4,700 of them are remembered. The  arias  in Qinqiang Opera are divided into two types:  huan  yin, or joyous tune, and  ku  yin, or sorrowful tune. Plots in Shanxi Opera often deal with fighting oppression, wars against the northern barbarians, and issues of loyalty. Some Shanxi Opera productions include special effects such as fire-breathing or acrobatic twirling, in addition to the standard operatic acting and singing. Cantonese Opera Cantonese Opera, based in southern China and overseas ethnic Chinese communities, is a very formalized operatic form that emphasizes gymnastic and martial arts skills. This form of Chinese Opera predominates in Guangdong,  Hong Kong, Macau,  Singapore,  Malaysia, and in Chinese-influenced areas in western countries. Cantonese Opera was first performed during the reign of the Ming Dynasty Jiajing Emperor from 152 to 1567. Originally based on the older forms of Chinese Opera, Cantonese Opera began to add local folk melodies, Cantonese instrumentation, and eventually even Western popular tunes. In addition to traditional Chinese instruments such as the  pipa,  erhu, and percussion, modern Cantonese Opera productions may include such Western instruments as the violin, cello, or even saxophone. Two different types of plays make up the Cantonese Opera repertoire—Mo, meaning martial arts, and  Mun, or intellectual—wherein the melodies are entirely secondary to the lyrics.  Mo performances are fast-paced, involving stories of warfare,  bravery  and betrayal. The actors often carry weapons as props, and the elaborate costumes may be as heavy as actual armor. Mun, on the other hand, tends to be a slower, more polite art form. The actors use their vocal tones, facial expressions, and long flowing water sleeves to express complex emotions. Most of the Mun stories are romances, morality tales, ghost stories, or famous Chinese classic tales or myths. One notable feature of Cantonese Opera is the makeup. It is among the most elaborate makeup systems in all of Chinese Opera, with different shades of color and shapes, particularly on the forehead, indicating the mental state, trustworthiness, and physical health of the characters. For example, sickly characters have a thin red line drawn between the eyebrows, while comic or clownish characters have a large white spot  on  the bridge of the nose. Some Cantonese Operas also involve actors in open face makeup, which is so intricate and complicated that it resembles a painted mask more than a living face. Today, Hong Kong is at the center of efforts to keep Cantonese Opera alive and thriving. The Hong Kong Academy for the Performing Arts offers two-year degrees in Cantonese Opera performance, and the Arts Development Council sponsors opera classes for the citys children. Through such concerted effort, this unique and intricate form of Chinese Opera may continue to find an audience for decades to come.

Power in The Handmaids Tale Essay example - 1133 Words

Power in The Handmaids Tale As you read through the handmaid’s tale you see the relationships of the characters develop and the fight for power, however small that glimpse of power may be. The images of power can be seen through out the novel, but there are major parts that stand out to the reader from the aunt’s in the training centre to the secret meetings between the Commander and Offred. The first we see of the struggles of power between people is when the novel opens and we first see the aunts of the red centre with their electric cattle prods and their stern moral teaching and their stern looks. The aunts are given small amounts of power by the male dominated regime, like the ability to carry the cattle prods but no other†¦show more content†¦this is Atwood showing the power of the aunts at their most dangerous as they can control a group of people at blow of a whistle and therefore have total power over the handmaids and if they wanted to they may be able to turn on the male oppressors. The next example of power within the regime is when we first meet Serena Joy at the front door of the Commanders house. Serena Joy displays her power by the way she looks at Offred when she arrives and then does not move aside to let Offred into the house. This is a display of power showing that this house is Serena Joy’s domain and everyone in the house must obey h er and that she will not take any disobedience. Serena Joy is also able to beat her handmaid, but with out any implements, Offred tells us of how it is the wives right to beat the handmaids and yet if they kill or seriously injure them the wives can be put to death just as the handmaids or the other men can be; this can also be seen in the chapters on the salvaging as the first people who are executed are two handmaids for murdering or harming their Commanders or his family and the third person to be executed was a wife, Offred tells us that the only reason for her execution would be that she must of harmed her handmaid or her husband. For the wives there is not much power and therefore the affect of it on them is very little, the only affect is that they know they are better thanShow MoreRelatedHandmaids Tale - Manipulation of Power Essay1257 Words   |  6 PagesTHE HANDMAID’S TALE Grade 11 English Analytical Essay Words: 1 245 Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale is a disturbing novel that displays the presence and manipulation of power. This is displayed throughout the novel and is represented significantly in three ways. As the book takes place in the republic of Gilead, the elite in society are placed above every other individual who are not included in their level. Secondly, men are placed at the top of the chain and they significantly overpowerRead MorePower Struggle In The Handmaids Tale By Margaret Atwood1373 Words   |  6 PagesMargaret Atwood both explore power struggle from a feminist perspective. Shakespeare in ‘King Lear’ and Atwood in ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ explore varying power struggles and their correlation to gender through their respective texts. Shakespeare and Atwood use the genders of their central characters to focus on power in historical and dystopian settings. Both authors explore religious frameworks, the types of power in a patriar chal society, and the implications of gender on power through use of stylisticRead MoreUse of Power: Blade Runner vs. The Handmaids Tale1306 Words   |  6 Pagestexts you studied this year explore the use of power. The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood and Blade Runner: Director’s Cut by Ridley Scott both explore the use of power albeit in similar and dissimilar ways. Power in both texts is portrayed as humankind’s power over the natural world, power over those considered inferior in society, and power over women. In Blade Runner, the human race is seen to have abused an outstanding amount of power over the natural world, as seen by the environmentalRead MoreThoughts on Feminism and Dystopia in the Handmaid’s Tale Essay1044 Words   |  5 PagesXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXX ENGL 252-01 28 November 2012 Thoughts on Feminism and Dystopia in The Handmaid’s Tale The Annotated Bibliography Dopp, Jamie. Subject-Position as Victim-Position in The Handmaids Tale. Studies in Canadian Literature / Études en littà ©rature canadienne [Online], 19.1 (1994): n. page. Web. 27 Nov. 2012 Dopp believes that Dopp believes that the goal of The Handmaid’s Tale is to work against the oppression of women, While he feels that is actually does the opposite.Read MoreLiterary Analysis of the Handmaids Tale1068 Words   |  5 PagesOffred, in Margaret Atwood’s disturbing novel The Handmaid’s Tale says, â€Å"But who can remember pain once it’s over? All that remains of it is a shadow, not in the mind even, in the flesh. Pain marks you, but too deep to see. Out of sight, out of mind.† The society of Gilead causes the aforementioned pain and demoralization by using women’s bodies as political instruments. Similar to Atwood’s novel, today’s men put immense pressure on women to be a certain way, give them children, and take care ofRead MoreThe Handmaids Tale Essay1591 Words   |  7 PagesUpon reading The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood, one notices the tragedy of women losing rights. Imagine the feelings of losin g all rights and freedoms; how hard the transition would be from an American society, centered on freedoms, to the society where Offred lives in The Handmaid’s Tale. Thankfully for all Americans, Atwood’s prediction of what society would become in the future was inaccurate. 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If a woman is no longer fertile, she is then characterized as an â€Å"Unwoman.† In The Handmaid’s Tale, we quickly learn that men have most of the power in Gilead and women are only wa nted for their ability to reproduce. This is evident with the different titles given toRead MoreThe Handmaids Tale And The Crucible1695 Words   |  7 PagesResistance Futile? What do The Handmaid’s Tale and The Crucible suggest about the nature of resisting and rebelling against social order? Margaret Atwood’s, The Handmaid’s Tale, and Arthur Miller’s ,The Crucible, explore the consequences surrounding the nature of resisting and rebelling against social order. Resistance the refusal to accept or comply with something or to actively and passively fight against something. 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Discussion on Organ Donation Shortage Free Essays

Medicine has evolved since the days of bloodletting, but from the perspective of a waiting recipient on the organ donor list, we still live in the dark ages. With a list of 110,941 hopeful candidates for organ transplant, the status of organ donation as a taboo subject in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) has left an average of 20 people dead each day. (1) The high demand and low supply has led to creative solutions from both medical and government sectors, but what’s the answer? Is government intervention necessary, or should the fed keep their laws off my liver? While the fourth annual National Donor Designation Report Card prepared by Donate Life America shows 94. We will write a custom essay sample on Discussion on Organ Donation Shortage or any similar topic only for you Order Now 7 million people were enrolled in state donor registries at the end of 2010,(2) it still doesn’t address the need that exists today. The shortage of organ donors in the U. S. is a problem. There are many factors that lie behind the reasons for shortage. From socioeconomic and demographic factors to religious beliefs, candidates just aren’t surfacing like they could. (3) â€Å"All the doctors and nurses I know are donors,† says Dr. Joshua Gitter, a practicing M. D. at John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek, California. â€Å"We can’t be the only ones providing organs here, ya know? The general public needs to step up. † The reason organs are in chronically short supply is partly due to the U. S. policy that requires voluntary giving. Dr. Gitter says most organs for transplant come from accident victims, who become brain dead after serious head injuries. These victims are typically put on life-support, and the next of kin’s consent is required to turn off the machine and donate the organs. Dr. Gitter says there are usually good chances of receiving donations from the families of accident victims, but each case changes on a family by family basis. Studies have shown the chances of donation from families who had prior knowledge of the patients’ wishes regarding donation have a higher rate of donation from the ICU,(4) but how often does mortality come up in a healthy conversation with family? Craig Gammel, a San Jose resident says he never had a conversation with his family members on the topic of organ donation, so when his father suffered a brain aneurism in the summer of 2009, Mr. Gammel possessed no pre determined ideas of donating his fathers organs during his drive to the ICU where his father waited in a coma. â€Å"You’re never ready for a call like that. † Says Mr. Gammel, reflecting on the day he got the call about his father’s aneurism. â€Å"We didn’t wait long before the doctors confirmed my father was brain dead. † Craig made the decision to take his father off life support after hearing the news, and agreed to donate his fathers hazel eyes to a waiting recipient. When the nurse initially approached Mr. Gammel with the request for eye donation, she did so in a tentative and reserved manner. Craig says he appreciated the way the topic was introduced, and grateful for the opportunity to assist another person in need. â€Å"Of course I wanted his death to at least help someone. † He said. â€Å"The old man would have wanted the same, I think. † Craig says he wouldn’t have thought about organ donation at the time if the nurse hadn’t asked him. Since organ transplant candidates cannot rely solely on these cases, the concept of mandated choice was proposed by the American Medical Association in 1994. 5) Mandated choice would make it so people are required by law to state in advance whether or not they will be an organ donor. The American Medical Association’s Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs supports mandated choice. In a 1994 report, the council said: â€Å"Requiring a decision regarding donation would overcome a major obstacle to organ donation – the reluctance of individuals to contemplate their own deaths and the disposition of their bodies. †(6) â€Å"Frankly, I’m shocked that people need the government to tell them plan for their mortality. I wouldn’t want to be brain dead and have my family refuse organ donation because I never told them I wanted to donate. It’s tantamount to being buried with your money. Donate it for Christ sakes. † Concluded Craig. However, everyone does not share this belief of Craig’s. â€Å"I would never allow my daughters body to be chopped up and shared like a joint at a doobie brothers concert. † Said Santa Barbara resident David Martin when asked if he would donate the organs of a family member in the unlikely event of their sudden or accidental death. David’s cited his strict belief in Christian Science as support. His decision to abstain from all medical practices and remedies is a cornerstone in the religion, making the concept of organ donation implausible. While David’s beliefs are of a minority opinion, it still reflects a refusal to donate healthy organs to dying people. With factors influencing donation ranging from family or patient attitudes and beliefs to deaths from trauma being the decision factors, it’s hard to come up with a method for determining the right time to approach a family. â€Å"We have been trained to approach the subject with as much care and tact as possible. † Says Hillary Gitter, a practicing nurse at John Muir Medical Center. You’d be surprised how many people are open to the request if you approach them at the right time and in the right tone. † Because Hillary interacts with patients that are waiting for organ transplants, she firmly believes the need trumps any social awkwardness that arises when asking for organ donations. â⠂¬Å"How would you look someone in the eyes and say their chance of finding a donor is slim to none? You’ve sealed their fate and dashed all hope with that fact, so you do what you can to help people get donors. I think even false hope is better than a death sentence. † Said Hilary. How to cite Discussion on Organ Donation Shortage, Papers

A Conglomeration of Many Beliefs free essay sample

A number of fundamental beliefs are held by many but not all New Age followers; individuals are encouraged to shop for the beliefs and practices that they feel most comfortable with: |[pi|Monism: All that exists is derived from a single source of divine energy. Pantheism: All that exists is God; God is all that exists. This leads naturally to the concept of the divinity of the|individual, that we are all Gods. They do not seek God as revealed in a sacred text or as exists in a remote heaven; | | |they seek God within the self and throughout the entire universe.|Panentheism: God is all that exists. God is at once the entire universe, and transcends the universe as well. Reincarnation: After death, we are reborn and live another life as a human. This cycle repeats itself many times. This | |c] |belief is similar to the concept of transmigration of the soul in Hinduism. We will write a custom essay sample on A Conglomeration of Many Beliefs or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The good and bad deeds that we do adds and subtracts from our accumulated record, our karma. At the end of our   life, we are rewarded or punished according to our karma by being reincarnated into either a painful or good new life. This belief is linked to that of reincarnation and is also derived from Hinduism | |[pi|An Aura is believed to be an energy field radiated by the body. Invisible to most people, it can be detected by some as a shimmering, multi-colored field surrounding the body. Those skilled in detecting and interpreting auras can diagnose an individuals state of mind, and their spiritual and physical health. Ecological Responsibility: A belief in the importance of uniting to preserve the health of the earth, which is often looked upon as Gaia, (Mother Earth) a living entity.