Xiqu Hangdang’s Aesthetic Studies

Abstract:The development and formation of Xiqu Hangdang(行当)experienced a long and complicated historical process from the germination to the Song and Yuan Xiqu until the Ming and Qing Xiqu. Based on previous research, this essay dedicates to study the hangdang’s state of historical generation to explore its aesthetic mechanism and abundant cultural implication. The author tries to explain hangdang’s nature and characteristics from the aesthetic point of view and the mystery of its beauty generated.Chapter I, "the research of Jiaose (脚色)and hangdang’s evolution". This chapter investigates and reviews Hangdang’s differernt names and presence status during various historical periods on the basis of large amounts of data available provided by the former researchers and conducts a cultural interpretation of Hangdang’s setting principle.Chapter II, "the aesthetic shift of the Xiqu’s development and historical generation of Hangdang." This chapter examines Hangdang’s generated historical process from the decisive influence on the development of the aesthetic approach, aesthetic features and so on, exerted by the evolution of the history and culture. It is the aesthetic shift from Song Dynasty’s Xiqu focusing on "banter" to the yuan Xiqu’s focus on " improving the social atmosphere and human ethics "(美风化,厚人伦)that has a tremendous impact on the development of Hangdang’s pattern. It makes the function of Jiaose in Song and Yuan Xiqu not simply to complete the Xiqutic structure, but has a relatively independent role in the Xiqutic content, like characterization, emotional expression etc. In the Xiqu of this period, due to emphasis on the ideological content, Xiqu characters become rich and even diversified in terms of thoughts and emotions. Different characters in the Xiqu often represent different emotions and ideas, which forms a unity called "the structure of sentiment and reason"(情理结构)on the stage. The conflict between the sentiment and reason is the inevitable result of the historical and cultural development. The Xiqu’s story designs intense conflicts and distinctive personalities of the characters under the view of both poles of sentiment and reason.The actor is also bound to have emotional experience of different characters. These Xiqu’s external and internal factors created by history and culture contributes to the formation of Hangdang based on character type.Chapter III, "Hangdang’s development and aesthetic features of Ming and Qing dynasties’ major Xiqus". Kunshan(昆山)tune, the representative of the "Four Tunes", among which Kunshan tune’s hangdang system was fully developed, prevailed in the early Ming’s theatrical circles. From the development of Nanxi (南戏)’s hangdang system to the later "Jianghushierjiaose"(江湖十二脚色),Xiqu hangdang’s classification was basically completed. From Kunqu Xiqu’s "Jianghushierjiaose" to Han Xiqu’s "Shidahang"(十大行)until early Xiqu’s "Shimenjiaose" (十门角色),it finally formed the hangdang system like "Sheng, Dan, Jing, Chou"(生、旦、净、丑)In this development process, the way in which Xiqu hangdang "being simplified"(删繁就简)and "going from the simple to the complex’’(由简而繁)made character type classification gradually mature under the Xiqu hangdang system. As for Peking Xiqu, when it came to the period of Mei Lanfang(梅兰芳),the art ontology reached a new peak. Theatrical ontology is essentially the fit and unity of Xiqu’s form and content at a new height, which surpasses the truth of the details and directs access to cultural authenticity by creating artistic conception. This reveals the "poetic" feature of Chinese Xiqu.Chapter IV, "the aesthetic mechanism of Xiqu hangdang". "rational form "(理性形式),as one of social rationality’s presentations, expressed in Xiqu, thus becoming Xiqu hangdang. Due to the accumulation of people’s values and evaluation system, Xiqu hangdang is a "significant form"(有意味的形式)and "emotional symbol"(情感的符号)and therefore it has a wealth of rational content. In the narrative Xiqu, hangdang plays a role of emotional distillation and sublimation, which belongs to "reason" in the way of value construction of Chinese culture’s "emotion to reason until emotion’’(情—理—情)Real life generally belongs to the first level "emotion", the Xiqu forms are "reason" level, and the presentation of the Xiqu stage belongs to the second stage of "emotion"; the second "emotion" - shown on the stage - plays a role of purifying mind and elevating personality. In addition, the "virtuality" and "reality" on the stage constitutes Xiqu hangdang’s aesthetic imagination of tension. "Uglily" and "beauty" represent hangdang aesthetic’s psychological transformation, and the imagery and artistic conception are the dynamic blend between hangdang and form, which finally makes Xiqu aesthetic direct to Xiqu artistic conception.Chapter V, "the analysis of Xiqu hangdang’s aesthetic implication". Hangdang’s aesthetic implication is not for specific person or the typical image, but the typed characters’ aesthetic features in hangdang types, which derives from the continuous accumulation of national cultural psychology of "Class"(类)Hangdang’s aesthetic implications are very rich and complex, and sometimes different people give different views, thus only turning to exemplification. "Sheng" is one of the most important Chinese Xiqu hangdang category, among which "Laosheng’’(老生)is particularly important. Laosheng acquires profound wisdom and moral personality by realizing and undertaking the culture and history, showing powerful and strong aspects in aesthetic and often gives a sense of the depressed and the sonorous. "Dan" always focuses on implicit expression, but conveys a very rich aesthetic content, and at different times in different categories, they have very different aesthetic implications, which is hard to state. As for "Jing", most of them expose the character, and often have distinct personality traits. They are remembered by their facial makeup. "Chou"’s aesthetic implication contains a profound historical and cultural connotation, and a unique hangdang aesthetic psychological mechanisms.Xiqu is always the art of living in the moment. With the progress of history, the development of technology and the change of people appreciation, Xiqu will lay its own inherent law as the basis and the purpose of demands of the time, to show a new look.