01:165:264 Chinese Drama & Performing Arts

Asian Languages and Cultures

Rutgers University

Professor Dietrich Tschanz

Fall 2011

Course Description:

This course is designed as a survey of the Chinese theatrical tradition from its origins through the early 20th century. The main emphasis of the course is on Chinese drama as a performing art. Therefore, we will read the dramatic texts specifically for their theatrical aspects and interpret these texts within the context of the theatrical spaces, situations, and practices of the time when they were written and produced. All readings are in English.

The course consists of several components:

1. lectures in which I will provide an outline history of Chinese drama from its origins to the early 20th century

2. analysis and interpretation of dramatic texts (in class)

3. analysis and interpretation of videotaped performances of select acts from our readings (in class)

4. individual and group exercises in the analysis and interpretation of both dramatic texts and videotaped performances (in the form of homework assignments)

Course Objectives:

After completing this course, students will be able to:

  • name the most important dramatic texts and playwrights of the Chinese theatrical tradition and provide an outline of the development of Chinese drama
  • analyze and interpret Chinese dramatic texts using a variety of methodologies and critical approaches commonly used in the field of Chinese drama/theater studies
  • identify what makes the Chinese theatrical performance tradition unique among the world’s major performance traditions (Greco-Roman, Indian, Japanese, and Southeast Asian)
  • deploy current information technologies to gather, select, analyze, and critically assess information (primary and secondary sources) related to performances of Chinese/East-Asian theater in the U.S.
  • apply standard documentation styles such as MLA or APA to demonstrate that they understand how and why sources need to be properly cited as part of the research process

The course meets the following Core Curriculum goals:

II: Areas of Inquiry

C: Arts and the Humanities

p. Analyze arts and/or literatures in themselves and in relation to specific histories, values, languages, cultures, and technologies. (Note: already approved)

The course also meets the following departmental learning goals for East Asian Languages and Area Studies (214):

Majors will be able to demonstrate in-depth knowledge of the literature and culture of one or more East Asian countries (China, Japan, Korea); effectively use tools (reference works, etc.) and technology appropriate to learning an East Asian language; and, analyze issues concerning East Asia and relate them to other areas in the humanities and social sciences following an interdisciplinary approach.

Frequency and Place of Meetings:

The class meets twice a week, Mondaysand Wednesdays 5th period (2:50 pm - 4:10 pm), in Scott Hall 119.

Instructor:

Dietrich TschanzEmail:

Scott Hall 337Phone: (732) 932-5596 (O)

Office hours: Monday12 noon - 1 pm and by appointment

Class Website:

Sakai (

Attendance and Participation:

Attendance and participation in class discussion are important components of this course and can make a substantial difference in your final grade. Absences can be excused only if you are sick (please provide doctor’s note) or you observe a religious holiday.

Assignments:

Assignments for this class include: four 5-page papers; one group assignment (including oral presentation and 10-page research paper); and a number of small homework assignments.

These assignments are due on the date they are listed in the schedule.

Mid-Term:

The mid-term examination will consist of three parts: 1. a section in which you will be asked to list items for a particular topic 2. a section in which you will be asked to define or discuss certain key terms; and 3. an essay section in which I will ask you to write on the content, form, or other aspects of the material we covered in class.

Final:

The final follows the same format as the mid-term. Although it will be not cumulative, there will be certain questions for which you will have to make connections between later and earlier material.

Grading:

Class attendance and participation: 10%

Homework Assignments: 5%

Group Assignment: 10%

Essay Assignments: 25%

Mid-term: 25%

Final 25%

Required Texts:

Stephen H. West and Wilt L. Idema, trans. Monks, Bandits and Immortals: Eleven Early Chinese Plays. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Company, Inc., 2010. ISBN-13: 978-1-60384-200-6

Tang Xianzu. The Peony Pavilion. Trans. Cyril Birch. Bloomington: IndianaUniversity Press, 2002. ISBN-13: 978-0253215277

These books will be available at the Rutgers Bookstore in Ferren Mall (opposite of NJ Transit Train Station).All other texts will be available in electronic format on the Sakai website for this class under “Resources”.

Course Schedulefor 264 Chinese Drama

West/Idema = Stephen H. West and Wilt L. Idema, trans. Monks, Bandits and Immortals

Sakai = Class website on Sakai (

Week/Session / Main Topic / Reading & Writing Assignments
Week 1
W 9/7 / Introduction
Th 9/8 / The Chinese Actor and Actor Training / Gai, Jiaotian. "How I first learned to act" (Sakai)
Video: Excerpts from "Farewell My Concubine" (in class)
Week 2
M 9/12 / The Chinese Stage / Mei Lanfang. "Hegemon King Says Farewell to His Queen." Please read Scenes 1 through 7 (Sakai)
"Types of Stages from the Yuan Through the Qing Dynasty" (Sakai)
Video: Excerpts from "Farewell My Concubine" (in class)
W 9/14
/ The Female Impersonator / Hu Shi, "Mei Lan-fang and the Chinese Drama" (Sakai)
"What the Chinese See in Mei Lan-fang" (Sakai)
"The Origin and Place of the Female Impersonator in the Chinese Drama" (Sakai)
Senelick, “China Trade” (Sakai)
Week 3
M 9/19 / Mei Lanfang’s U.S. Tour of 1930 / Mei Lanfang. "Hegemon King Says Farewell to His Queen." Please read Scenes 8 and 9 (Sakai)
Chi Ju-Shan. "A Brief Consideration of the Outstanding Peculiarities of the Old Chinese Drama" (Sakai)
VCD: Excerpts from Mei Lanfang's performance of "Hegemon King Says Farewell to His Queen" (1957) (in class)
Group 1: Critical review of Mei Lanfang's New York performances in 1930
The Origins of Chinese Theater
W 9/21 / Local Opera Traditions in Rural Areas / Huangpu Chongqing, “Nuo Theatre in GuizhouProvince” (Sakai)
"Chronological Chart of the Different Elements in Chinese Theatre" (Sakai)
Essay 1: Analysis of Queen Yu's Character in "Hegemon King"
Week 4
Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368) Theatre
M 9/26 / Between Ritual and Theatre / Guan Hanqing. "Lord Guan Goes to the Feast." Please read Acts 1-3 (Sakai)
Dale Johnson. "The Poetic and Musical Structure of the Yuan Variety Play" (Sakai)
W 9/28 / Cont. / Read Act 4 of "Lord Guan Goes to the Feast" (Sakai)
Group 2: Critical review of the performance of David Henry Hwang’s play M. Butterfly (1988)
Week 5
M 10/3 / Yuan Stage and Performance Practices / “Zhongli of Han Leads Lan Caihe to Enlightenment.” Please read all four acts in West/Idema, pp. 291-313.
W 10/5 / Courtroom Plays / Guan Hanqing. "Moving Heaven and Shaking Earth: The Injustice to Dou E." Please read Prologue and Acts 1-2 in West/Idema, pp. 9-24
Week 6
M 10/10 / Cont. / Guan Hanqing. ""Moving Heaven and Shaking Earth: The Injustice to Dou E." Please read Acts 3-4 in West/Idema, pp. 24-36
Group 3: Bertolt Brecht and Chinese Drama
W 10/12 / Love Comedy / Guan Hanqing. “The Beauty Pining in Her Boudoir: The Pavilion for Praying to the Moon.” Please read all four acts of the play in West/Idema, pp.83-104.
Week 7
M 10/17 / Love Tragicomedy / Bai Pu. “The Autumn Nights of the Lustrous Emperor of the Tang: Rain on the Wutong Tree.” Please read all four acts of the play in West/Idema, pp. 113-154.
Essay 2: The Relationship between Individual and Family in Chinese Drama
W 10/19 / Love Tragedy
Review for Midterm / Ma Zhiyuan. “Breaking a Troubling Dream: A Lone Goose in Autumn over the Palaces of Han.” Please read all four acts of the play in West/Idema, pp. 161-194
Week 8
M 10/24 / Midterm Exam
Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) Theatre
W 10/26 / SouthernPlays (Nanxi) / Brief Review of Mid-term
Gao Ming (1305-1368). The Lute. Please read the Prologue and Scenes 19, 20, and 24 (Sakai)
Week 9
M 10/31 / Cont. / Gao Ming. The Lute.Please read Scene 28 (Sakai)
Video: Excerpts from a performance of Scene 28 (in class)
W 11/2 / Cont. / Gao Ming. The Lute. Please read Scenes 34 and 36 (CP 163-170)
Group 4: Critical review of Sidney Howard and Bill Irwin’s adaptation of Lute Song (1946)
Week 10
M 11/7 / Ming Dynasty Marvel Tale Plays (Chuanqi) / Tang Xianzu. The Peony Pavilion. Please read Scenes 1-3, 7-8
W 11/9 / Cont. / Tang Xianzu. The Peony Pavilion. Please read Scenes 9, 10, and 12.
DVD: Excerpts from the New York production of The Peony Pavilion(in class)
Video: Performance of "Pursuing the Dream"
Week 11
M 11/14 / Cont. / Tang Xianzu. The Peony Pavilion. Please read Scenes 14, 16, 23, 24.
Essay 3: The Use of Imagery in Chinese Drama
W 11/16 / Cont. / Tang Xianzu. The Peony Pavilion. Please read Scenes 28, 35, 36, 48, 53, and 55.
Group 5: Critical Review of Chen Shi-zheng's New York Production of The Peony Pavilion (1999)
Week 12
M 11/21 / Late Ming and Early Qing Variety Play / Xu Wei. “Mulan.” (Sakai)
Wu Weiye. “Spring Pavilion.” (Sakai)
W 11/23 / Thanksgiving Recess. No Class.
Week 13 / Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) Theater
M 11/28 / Love Tragicomedy / Hong Sheng. The Palace of Eternal Youth (Sakai)
W 11/30 / Cont. / Hong Sheng. The Palace of Eternal Youth (Sakai)
Week 14
M 12/5 / Cont. / Hong Sheng. The Palace of Eternal Youth (Sakai)
W 12/7 / Cont. / Hong Sheng. The Palace of Eternal Youth (Sakai)
Group 6: Western Perceptions of Traditional Chinese Drama
Week 15
M 12/12 / Review & Conclusion
Fr 12/23 / Final Exam / Friday, December 23, 2011, 12 noon-3:00 pm

1