"Smear the fat and make the powder thicker, I want to change the declining Weng into a daughter." These are two lines of poems from Mr. Chen Yinke's "Ouguan Thirteen Sisters New Drama Dramas", in which it is written about the "gender reversal" male in Chinese Peking Opera. Dan performing arts. The performance of male dancers has a long history in the history of Chinese classical opera. At the end of the Qing Dynasty and the beginning of the Republic of China, with the development of Peking Opera reached its peak, the performing arts of male dancers also matured.
has gradually formed the typical artistic characteristics of male dancers’ performances: First, focus on figuring out the female psychology, which is the entry point of male dancers’ reverse performance; second, the essence of male acting as female actor lies in creating more condensed, more condensed than true gender. Graceful and typical femininity; third, the superior realm of reverse performance, which is the yardstick for theatrical performers to capture transgender acting in their performances, emphasizing the naturalness of art. In addition, to clarify the distinction between the stage and life, and to maintain an appropriate distance and alienation is the society's requirements for male performance art. It can be seen that, as the "anti-string art" of Chinese opera , the male dandan condensed the characteristics of the times and formed typical artistic characteristics.
The development of male performance art
1, the development of Chinese male performance art is related to the form of Chinese traditional drama
First of all, the development of Chinese male performance art is related to the form of Chinese traditional drama. In the theater system of traditional Chinese opera, there is a stylized stage for men to act as women, laying the basic deductive procedures and prerequisite norms for the transgender performance of later generations. Among them, in traditional Chinese opera, the roles in the play are divided into different types of role-plays according to gender, age, identity, and personality, as well as the gender symbols of traditional Chinese opera costumes. This is a unique performance system of Chinese opera. Chinese opera actors will use them to cross gender to achieve the shaping of characters in the play.
At the same time, Chinese operas do not deliberately emphasize the stereotyped correspondence between the actors’ physical gender and the role gender, thus laying the foundation for the performance of men disguising themselves as women in Chinese operas. Because, in Chinese opera, the gender distinction of roles is based on the artistic and heavy makeup of opera roles, which is conducive to concealing the physical gender of the actors, plus the unity of the performance environment and atmosphere in the theater. It is not difficult to reverse a man's disguise as a woman. For example, in the description of Qing Dynasty female playwright Wang Jun’s "Prosperous Dream", "Sheng" was designated as the female Wang Menglin: "Sheng Nv makeup, moon white cloak, tie, plain skirt" (second part), break This is the practice of playing the leading role. It shows that the blessing of heavy makeup in opera is conducive to the performance of male dancers.
In addition, the stylized singing and playing in traditional dramas has also accumulated a stage action vocabulary that can be practiced for transgender repetition. Among them, the categories of Dan horns in Peking opera include: Tsing Yi, Hua Dan, Tie Dan, Dao Ma Dan, etc. Each of these categories is composed of different singing skills, chanting, work, and dressing. After specific practice and training, opera actors can play roles of different genders when performing on stage. For example, when Hua Dan is working, there are "eye practice", "showing body", "walking, sitting, standing", "walking", "work", "sign language" and other actions decomposition, among which "work" is simulation The previous women engaged in the stage program of embroidery, and the movements were extremely delicate and lifelike, and the female identity of the character could be seen. It can be seen that the stylized chanting and playing provides the possibility for the male dancer's reverse performance.
2, the adventurous, prosperous and decay of Chinese male dan art almost coincides with the development history of Chinese opera
Secondly, the advancing, prosperous and decay of Chinese male dan art almost coincides with the development history of Chinese opera. The art of male dancers’ repetition originated from ancient Chinese singing and dancing and Wuyou. In the Tang Dynasty, male dancers’ performances began to take shape and gradually developed into maturity. For example, the art of "fake women" gradually evolved into the "playing dancers" of Zaju "Compared with the "Zhuangdan Color" of Nanxi Opera. In the Ming and Qing Dynasties, with the development of Nanqu and other vocal performing arts, male performances gradually became the mainstream form of the theater. However, although Qinqiang and Huiban male dancers created the unique performance paradigm and aesthetic appeal of male dancers, they also formed the public's accommodation to the vulgar aesthetic at that time. Because, it contains the ambiguous male sex factor attached to the male daniel under the phenomenon of the child-bearing child during the Ming and Qing dynasties, which also directly affects the attitudes and impressions of the male daniels of the times and today.
By the middle of the 19th century, the male dancers in Peking opera broke through the limitations imposed on male dancers by previous generations. Because, at the beginning of the rise of Peking Opera in the middle of the 19th century, women were only secondary roles in the theater stage, and they were mostly played by men. After Guangxu, people's attention to female groups under the dramatic changes in society accelerated the evolution of the opera system, making Danish gradually more prominent. The male Dan, who had been in a vassal position for a long time, replaced the old Peking opera student and became the chief of the stage. At the same time, the purification, integration and expansion of the various categories of male dancers in the Qing dynasty improved the technical content of the performance of male dancers. The maturity and innovation of male dancers' art, coupled with the commercial operation of the new era, directly made male dancers stars in the first half of the 20th century. The unique cultural phenomenon under the social changes in China has formed a phenomenon where the "four famous men" such as Mei Lanfang , Cheng Yanqiu, Xun Huisheng, and Shang Xiaoyun stand on their feet.
Among them, the group innovation of Peking Opera male Dan, headed by Mei Lanfang, has sublimated Dan Xing’s artistic vision and aesthetic appeal, and made anti-sequence regarded as a drama art that continues the past and is highly praised. Mei Lanfang and others' innovations to male dancers formed the double fusion of the "beauty of appearance and structure" and "beauty of connotation and artistic conception" in the Peking Opera dance industry at that time, which improved the overall character of Peking Opera art. Coupled with the introduction of Western drama theories into China at that time, modern drama reviews were prosperous, professional drama journals and popular cultural newspapers were prosperous, and emerging drama reviews and columns further constructed a credible public opinion space and artistic standards, and gradually condensed them. The characteristics of the times, the literati tastes and artistic insights of Danjiao are promoted to popular culture. Under the above-mentioned many influencing factors, the artistic characteristics of the male-dancer reversal art in Peking opera have been formed: one is to figure out the "inner performance" of female psychology; the second is to create the essence of female characteristics; and the third is to create "natural" women. In addition, to clarify the boundary between stage and life is another dimension that men must grasp in shaping "natural" women.
The artistic characteristics of the art of male and female characters in Chinese opera
1, the art of male and female characters, the artistic characteristics of "inner performance" that contemplates female psychology
First, the art of male and female characters, the art of "inner performance" that contemplates female psychology feature. As mentioned briefly above, Peking Opera's "Danjiao" has been widely watched and sought after. It was a unique cultural phenomenon under the great social changes in China at the beginning of the birth of Peking Opera in the first half of the 20th century. It is worth noting that while the dan horns are sought after, it has also led to the increase of female themes on the Peking opera stage and the increase in the weight of dan horns. At the same time, due to the popularity of Peking Opera at the time, modern bourgeois literati, politicians, and economists have all participated in the transformation of drama. They not only organized support clubs to support famous actors, but also acted as screenwriters, consultants, and writers for emerging dramas. Propaganda, to provide scripts, performances, and social support for the famous actors. As a result, due to the support and influence of these intellectuals, the male dancers in Peking Opera no longer focus solely on singing and workmanship, they began to sing, read, do, and beat in a comprehensive way. They wanted to create a three-dimensional female image. The inner spirit contained in the drama repertoire is used to control and influence the performance technology, and the formation of the "inner performance" that contemplates the female psychology is one of the artistic characteristics of Danjiao's aesthetics.
In addition, the artistic characteristics of the "inner performance" of male dancers trying to figure out female psychology are also reflected in the changes in the performance of Peking opera actors. Early Peking opera followed the convention of the role composition of Han tune in Hui opera. Tsing Yi and Hua Dan were also the mainstream in the Danxing category. Although the number of male Dan was large, their stage skills were not proficient, and the singing voice was not innovative; Hua Dan did. It is frivolous and romantic, lacking the beauty of lyrical, expressive and portrayal performance. After the rise of the four great names of and , they broke the boundaries between men and women and explored female psychology in their performances, fully mobilizing the program of singing voice, hands, eyes, body and footwork, trying to figure out female psychology, and being considerate of different female roles to realize the transgender role of men and women. , Further enriched the portrayal and construction of the female image on the opera stage. For example, when Cheng Yanqiu played a female role, his soothing singing voiced him a lot in shaping the female psychology, and he has the reputation of "Cheng Qiang". For example, Mei Lanfang also externalized it as the expression control of Danjiao when performing, which made Tsing Yi gentle and delicate, devoid of masculinity. For example, the drama critic Zhang Xiaojia commented on them: "The four great heroes describe the scenes and the triumphant and expressiveness of the drama, most of them use Xiao children's behavior, demeanor, and will." It can be seen that the conscious innovation of male actors has improved the world of male actors expressing female emotions. The level of art.
2, male and female reverse art, artistic characteristics of the essence of creating feminine characteristics
Second, male male reverse art, artistic characteristics of the essence of creating female characteristics. This is because if the art of male dancers simply imitates women mechanically, it will become a stand-in for women on theatrical stage, or even become a projection of erotic desire on the public stage. Therefore, the male dancer who pretends to be a female should best interpret: by discovering or creating female movements and emotional rhythms, to express the elegance, charm and strength of women, to refine the ideal female character, and to create a more realistic Gender is more condensed, beautiful and the essence of typical female characteristics.
In addition, the artistic characteristics of the essence of the creation of female characteristics by male actors are also reflected in the transformation of male actors' performances. In the early days, due to the prohibition of female actors from acting, the women on the stage of the Qing Dynasty were played by all male actors for a long time. People's focus on male performances was the appreciation of male sex, which contained the social ethos of the time. For example, Tian Chunhang, the male character in Chen Sen's "Pin Hua Bao Jian", has a related saying: "I emphasize color but light art. I don't pay attention to drama, and I don't know how to play. Regarded as a treasure.” Obviously, the male dancers at that time paid more attention to their appearance than the spirit of performing skills, and there was no female essence. The male dancers were gradually materialized and regarded as playthings by the people of the time.
In the later period, after the formation of the four famous Peking Opera actors, a large number of intellectuals replaced the original gentry and became the soulmates of the male actors. These intellectuals evaluated the artistic beauty of male dancers from an aesthetic perspective, not a pornographic standpoint. Their focus also shifted from the hue of male dancers to the overall female role, which marked a profound transformation of the performing arts of male dancers. For example, the well-known Mei Lanfang even had a support group at that time, including many famous men and nobles: among them, Feng Gengguang is the son of Feng Guozhang, Qi Rushan is a famous Chinese opera theorist, Xu Boming is a famous painter, and Zhao Shu Yong was the son of Zhao Fengchang, a politician in the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China. It is true that there is a Hongru who talks and laughs, but there is no white Ding for communication.
is also the concern of these intellectuals, which makes the aesthetics of Peking Opera performances start a huge change from vulgar to elegant. Because, as an excellent male actor among the four famous actors, he has more keenly and more profoundly observed and understood the characteristics of the opposite sex characters that can move the opposite sex, and presented them on the stage in a profound and exaggerated manner. Their interpretations endow women with positive emotions and noble character, remove the gender prejudice against women in traditional dramas, reflect the new face of women in the early 20th century, and enhance the aesthetic taste of Danjiao art. For example, "Blood and Tears Stele" and other repertoires reveal the tragedies caused by women's old moral concepts such as chastity, loyalty and filial piety, and they sympathize with and discuss the fate of women at that time. It can be seen that the reverse performance art of the four great names has the artistic characteristics of creating the essence of female characteristics.
3, male and female reverse art, has artistic characteristics of shaping "natural" women
Third, male and female reverse art, has artistic characteristics of shaping "natural" women. In the 1930s, as the related taboos of Peking opera actresses were gradually broken, female actors in Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai and other cities began to be popular on theatrical stage. As a result, male and female actors competed. In the situation, there has been a phenomenon of coexistence between male and female performers and female dancers. However, audiences who are accustomed to male actors portraying women gradually feel that women’s "pure and natural performances" may not necessarily be more pleasant to the chants of male actors. For example, Shanghai "Drama Monthly" once commented: "Gu actor who is a talented actress, when his beautiful makeup comes on the stage, he is charming and sultry, and he is drunk and has no pretentious atmosphere. I think that the portrayal is so good that the viewer feels it, and it seems that it is pure and natural. "It is clear that the performance of the male Dan is more natural. Therefore, how to create a more "natural" female has become the key point of male performers.
Moreover, the artistic characteristics of the male actor in shaping the "natural" female are also expressed in the sublimation of the acting level. Because some female dancers at that time would deliberately imitate the performance of male dancers, resulting in size deviation and losing their gender identity, forming a lewd and indecent atmosphere, and losing the meaning of Peking Opera music but not lewdness. Therefore, the so-called "natural" is not the physical sex of the actor.More of it is naturally not artificial through the performance level of the male dancer. Just like the famous drama theorist Li Yu wrote in "Xian Qing Ou Ji": "The actor's makeup is bound to be tweaked, and no tweak is not enough for the Xiao woman; the actress's makeup is natural, and should not be pretentious. Once pretentious, it's a kind of male superior." It means that no matter how male or female is, one must adhere to the natural performance of the measure to be able to achieve the right goal, otherwise it may backfire and go astray. It shows that proper performance and unobtrusive sense of proportion are the key points in shaping the artistic characteristics of "natural" women in Peking Opera performances.
4, clarify the distinction between stage and life, maintain a moderate distance and alienation, which is the requirement of society for male performance art
In addition, clarify the distinction between stage and life, maintain a moderate distance and alienation, is society’s performance art for male performers Requirements. Because, in the early days of the birth of male dancers, they were required to have a feminine appearance and demeanor, and the Qing Dynasty law strictly prohibited official prostitutes, so there appeared ways of raising handsome male actors and other disguised prostitutes. For example, in the Qing Dynasty "Pin Hua Bao Jian", the male Dan of the Beijing Master is beautiful and charming: "It is the head of the jade powder makeup, the charming look of the flowers." Under the background of this era, the male Dan is Life has also continued their powdery air on stage, losing their original male masculinity. It is easy to make the performance of male dancers appear in an unmatched way.
By the end of Qing Dynasty and the beginning of the Republic of China, due to the deep roots of democratic ideas, the bad habit of treating men as prostitutes was abolished, and people began to pay attention to the personality charm of men. Because the late Qing Dynasty and the beginning of the Republic of China was an era of the transition between the old and the new in Chinese society. The introduction of Western democratic ideas into China, coupled with the development of good media, created a good environment for the development of the public opinion environment, and the situation of the male denier group was greatly improved. For example, the literary and artistic circles have repeatedly held elections for famous names, and selected the "four famous names" such as Mei Lanfang, Cheng Yanqiu, Xun Huisheng , and Shang Xiaoyun.
In addition to paying attention to the performance skills of male dancers, the personality charm of male dancers is also a major criterion for selection. The self-respect and self-respect of the male performer's personality consciousness can be realized in the baptism of new ideas, and the personality of the male performer has been raised to an unprecedented height. For example, the postscript of "Comparison of the Four Modern Famous Danes" writes: In addition to performing skills such as "voice", "tairong", "expression", "tone", and "wuyi", there is a special item "character". Finale. For example, Xue Guanlan's "Four Little Names of Dan's Yuan Yuan" also promoted the importance of the male Dan's "virtue": "To be a famous actress, he must reinforce his virtues, devote his life to art, and put his spirit in the rhyme. There will be gains and losses. And the heart of honor and disgrace for a thousand years." And such selection regulations reflect that in the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China, with the enlightenment of the people’s wisdom and the awakening of individuality, the early males did not look like women on the field, and did not look like men on the field. The old ills were eliminated; it was also the cleanliness of the men’s group. , Being upright is the result of their attention to separation of performance and life, and keeping a proper distance and alienation.
Summary
From the above, it can be seen that the performance of male dancers is the "anti-string art" of Chinese opera. It not only embodies the characteristics of the times, but also forms typical artistic characteristics. Among them, the development of Chinese male dancers' performing arts is related to the shape of traditional Chinese drama; the emergence, prosperity and decline of Chinese male dancers' art almost coincides with the development history of Chinese opera. Under the influence of many factors, the artistic characteristics of the art of male and female in Peking opera are formed: one is to figure out the "inner performance" of female psychology; second, to create the essence of female characteristics; third, to create "natural" women; In addition, to clarify the boundary between the stage and life is another dimension that men must grasp in shaping "natural" women. It shows that the art of male dancers, as a major feature of Chinese opera performances, is a sign of the development of Chinese society and culture behind it.
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