Chinese variety art

Chinese variety art
Balancing acts within Chinese Variety Art

Chinese Variety Art (Chinese: 雜技藝術) is the name giving to the collection of performances that include a wide range of acrobatic, balancing acts and other spectacles performed by a troupe fashioned in traditional Chinese-style attire. The art originated in China and is still performed today.

Contents

Circus vs Variety Art

While the English term "Chinese Circus" has been used to describe Chinese variety arts even in the earliest western historical text, the East views the Chinese term "circus" (馬戲) as a separate western style show altogether. Many exhibitions are similar between the two, and many are different. Elements such as clowns and other large animals are known as western style. Eastern elements include Shaolin monks, Peking opera characters and Monkey King for example.

History

Chinese street performers seen by Johan Nieuhof in 1655-57

The beginnings of Chinese Performance Arts have been lost to history. It is known that it existed as early as the Qin Dynasty (221-207BC). During the Qin Dynasty, Jiaodi Drama was popular with the common people and it consisted of a variety of acts such as; wrestling, musical performances, dance, martial arts, horsemanship, and juggling.[1] In the Eastern Han Dynasty scholar Zhang Heng was one of the first to describe the acrobatic theme shows in the royal palaces in his writing "Ode to the Western Capital" (西京賦). The event featured shows such as "Old Man Huang of the Eastern Sea" (東海黃公), the "Dancing Fishing Dragon" (魚龍蔓衍) and "Assembly of Immortals" (總會仙倡). A grand acrobatic show was held by Emperor Wu of Han in 108 BC for foreign guests.[2] The performance art routines became more elaborate and during the Tang Dynasty (618-907AD), the performance arts became popular in the Emperor’s court and soon spread to the gentry. Due to its new status, and raise in income, the acts became more refined. Eventually, the performance arts lost favor in the Imperial court and it then moved back to the common people and most performers performed in the street. Towards the end of the Ming Dynasty(1368-1644), the performers came off the street and started performing on stage. During the end of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), it regained popularity with the Imperial Court and has remained a popular art form to this day. [3]

Since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, the art forms have gained new respectability. Troupes have been established in the provinces, autonomous regions, and special municipals with theaters specifically dedicated to the variety arts. Some troupes have become world famous, playing to packed houses at home and on foreign tours.

It wasn't until the 1990s, however, when the art form was packaged as a complete theme show. Specifically the 1994 show "Golden Wind of the Southwest" (金色西南風) led the way with major successes in re-promoting the art as a whole.[2]

Performances

Human Lion suit balancing on a globe. Each suit usually has two performers.

Below is a list of performances available in the variety art. Some are more standard, while others are more regional. There is always new innovation taking place.

Festivals

See also

References

  1. ^ "Chinese Performance Arts". Access China Travel. http://www.accesschinatravel.com/chinaguide/chinesetraditionalarts/chineseacrobatics.html. 
  2. ^ a b Qiao. "Qiao." The acrobatic Theme show and its origin in the Hundreds Entertainment. Retrieved on 2007-05-25.
  3. ^ "Chinese Performance Arts". Access China Travel. http://www.accesschinatravel.com/chinaguide/chinesetraditionalarts/chineseacrobatics.html. 

Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно сделать НИР?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Chinese art — Chinese jade ornament with dragon and phoenix design, late Spring and Autumn Period (722 BC 482 BC) …   Wikipedia

  • Chinese tea culture — Traditional Chinese 中國茶文化 Simplified Chinese …   Wikipedia

  • Chinese bronze inscriptions — Chinese characters Scripts Precursors · Oracle bone script · Bronze script · Seal script (large, small) · Clerical script · Cu …   Wikipedia

  • Chinese martial arts — Kung fu redirects here. For other uses, see Kung fu (disambiguation). Wushu Traditional Chinese 武術 Literal meaning martial art …   Wikipedia

  • Chinese ceramics — Ming covered red jar with dragon and sea design from the Jiajing reign Chinese ceramic ware shows a continuous development since the pre dynastic periods, and is one of the most significant forms of Chinese art. China is richly endowed with the… …   Wikipedia

  • Chinese knotting — Traditional Chinese Knots Chinese knotting (Chinese: 中國結; pinyin: Zhōngguó jié) is a decorative handicraft art that began as a form of Chinese folk art in the Tang and Song Dynasty (960 1279 AD) in China. It was later popularized in the Ming).… …   Wikipedia

  • art exhibitions — experimental, 1980s The 1980s saw a surge in exhibitions showing innovative experimental art which fell outside the accepted political and ideological conventions. This art drew on an ongoing link with a pre 1949 modernism that had subsequently… …   Encyclopedia of Contemporary Chinese Culture

  • Chinese paper cutting — A Paper cut Window Flower during Chinese New Year Chinese Paper Cutting or Jianzhi (剪纸) is the first type of papercutting design, since paper was invented by Cai Lun in the Eastern Han Dynasty in China. The art form later spread to other parts of …   Wikipedia

  • Chinese dragon — Chinese name Traditional Chinese 龍 …   Wikipedia

  • Chinese cuisine — Chinese food redirects here. For the Americanized version, see American Chinese cuisine. This article is part of the series …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”