Sacrifice

Tragedy, the first drama category entering human's soul, is a kind of drama with its rich plots bearing deep philosophy, and its aesthetics concept always referring to ancient Greek as an original point. Based on above, since the Western academic ideology entered China over 100 years ago, the adverse opinion of tragedy " sensu stricto " existing in China has been popular among academic circle, as well as another prevailing viewpoint of extending the definition's scope and stressing tragedy's "national character", "exclusivity", which resulting in taking affliction drama and sentimental drama as traded. However, the opinion above ignores an important tragedy category in China, in which the heroes almost are the historical figures with lofty ideals in ancient China, who are well educated elite scholars. Those figures have noble personality, firm will, moral keeping, and despising evil, even fighting with their life and sacrificing, devoting to their ideal's sacrificial altar. The so called tragedy "stricto sensu" should combine "lofty" with "magnificence". I might as well define this kind of Chinese drama as "scholar sacrifice" drama, which is a kind of Chinese tragedy worthy listing in the world drama categories. This thesis is written based on the preliminary studies on the "scholar sacrifice" drama,The thesis consists of 5 chapters, besides "introduction" and "epilogue". The first chapter aims to trace the prototype of tragedy at first, to clarify the inner characters of tragedy and its spirit, to demonstrate the close connection between tragedy and religion, heroism complex and its development trace as well, to preliminarily lead to the explanation of the motive of "scholar sacrifice" in Chinese culture from the perspective of comparing the Eastern and Western's similarities and differences. The second chapter aims to argument the social and humanity conditions of the birth of Chinese "scholar sacrifice" drama, to introduce its general summary, to make a careful and detailed analysis to demonstrate and induce its mien based on libretto in various of drama pieces, and focus on the coincidence between Chinese "happy ending" and Western "reconciliation" as well. The third chapter aims to explore the rule of development of "scholar sacrifice" drama by clues of dynasty substitution, to interpret the changes of dynasty and turmoil's impacts on the topics and contents of this kind of drama by exploring of key drama pieces. The fourth chapter aims to demonstrate new climax, appearance and its enlightment effects pushed by restoration, revolution and "dramatic improvement" at the time of late 19th century and early 20th century when dramatic changes in China. The fifth chapter, as supplement, aims to complementarily explain the reverse flux of "scholar sacrifice" drama, or so called "seclusive" drama, which reflects on lost scholars' seclusion from the world in countryside, or refuging Buddhism, to seek soul comfort.In all, instructed by my Ph. D. supervisor, the thesis is a macro study on the theory of Chinese tragedy, and an exploring of unique drama works in ancient Chinese drama text so as to confirm the existence of true tragedy and its spirit in China.