A Research On Narrative Theory Of The Classical Chinese Opera Theory

The narrative refers to the activity in which narrators organize events in a certain way by means of one or several media.The narrative theory touches upon the study on factors related to the narrative and story.The classical Chinese opera theory has abundant narrative thoughts,which can be found in various theoretical forms including monographs,quhua,qupin,jupin,commentaries,prefaces and postscripts,introductions,essays,diaries,letters and other theoretical forms,thereby lacking a consistent and clear line.Some expositions and argumentations are not profound enough in terms of theory.Therefore,it is necessary to excavate and sort out these ideas deeply and systematically.It not only helps to strengthen the understanding of classical operas in our country,but also helps to grasp the experience and lessons of Chinese classical drama narrative,promote the theory of contemporary drama narration and the development of practice.This dissertation is based on three theoretical compilations: Newly Compilation of Works on Classical Chinese Opera,The Compilation of Classical Chinese Scriptwriting Theory,and The Compilation of Prefaces and Postscripts in Classical Chinese Opera.Meanwhile,the author also finds out the clues to the theory reflected in the stories of the opera and their presentation after referring to and analyzing many other theoretical works.Then the findings are analyzed and refined from the perspective of the traditional narrative theory and the narrative concept of Chinese opera to unearth the narrative elements in the classical Chinese opera theory.The incomplete and scattered narrative elements are deduced and integrated properly in the narrative logic from the macro to the micro and they are classified into four parts including narrative concepts,purposes and requirements,contents,actions,and media in light of the reason,the story,the manner,and the media.At the same time,this dissertation analyzes and studies the four parts in terms of the logic idea including the narrative theory and the historical development clues of the opera and theory,so as to draw the whole picture of classical opera narrative theory comprehensively and deeply and reflect the nationality,integrity and system aticness of the classical Chinese opera narrative theory.From the macro perspective,the classical opera theory embodies the narrative conceptcentering on the plot,and the narrative purposes and requirements such as the popularity for the legends,the touching feeling for the emotional works,and the advocacy of the decency by using ethic and moral principles.The concept is reflected in the whole narrative process in a hidden or evident way,and the process is limited by the purposes and requirements.At the same time,from the micro perspective,as for the narrative contents,the ancient dramatists had a comprehensive and profound understanding of the “story” in terms of the richness in content and the universality in drawing material,which showed the concept of “facts being valuable than fabrication” and the attitude of “free from the limitation of the source material”.As regards the “character”,the dramatists believe that the characters in the opera story should be the ultimate in types,and the characters present the story through their own actions and narrate the story from their own perspective.Characters of different types in the story undertake different narrative functions.For the narrative actions,the dissertation mainly probes into two major actions: the overall layout before the narrative and plot organization in the specific narrative process.The dramatists show a strong sense of layout.In the evaluation of the overall layout of the opera,the aesthetic principle of “binary neutrality” is reflected,and in the case of organization,it is necessary to focus on four principles including the concentration,coherence,rhythm,and twists and turns.In addition,the layout of the main part of the structure,the beginning and ending,is also limited by relevant requirements and specific guidance.For the narrative media,this dissertation mainly conducts the research on the relevant comments of the language,as a literary narrative medium,and the role,as the narrative medium on the stage,and further analyzes the different connotations and narrative functions of various media and their relationship with each other,and the relationship between different media when undertaking narrative tasks.The stagecraft and literariness,as characteristics of the opera,determine the overall style of the language,that is,“literary but understandable,common but elegant”.Songs and words,as two major language media of the classical Chinese classical opera narrative,assume different functions.At the same time,they mutually support,promote each other,and cannot be neglected.Besides,the actions of the characters and the development of the story can be connected through the suggestions on the stage.The humorous gag can also help create an active atmosphere to lay a foundation for making the narrative to be accepted.All these media in the narrative process are organically combined together to contribute to the narrative task.From the perspective of the performance on the stage,the connotations of the roles and their relationships among each other determine and affect their playing relationship with the characters.Their own different character,temperament and position in the role,corresponds with and marks the different character,temperament and position in the story of different characters.Meanwhile,their own intrinsic characters determine and restrain the words and deeds of the characters in the story.The classical Chinese opera narrative theory is the successful experience that ancient Chinese dramatists and theorists have summed up in the creation work and on the stage time after time,and a theoretical understanding of many theorists on the creation and performance of opera practice,and a generous legacy of great value in the classical Chinese opera and culture,which we are proud of.Visualization,as its presentation characteristic,greatly makes the theory easy to understand and accept.Therefore,the theory can offer important guidance to the practical activities,and play a significant inspiring and guiding role in the opera narrative activities and other opera activities of the day.What's more,these theoretical connotations are still of significance to act as the guidance and reference for the creation and criticism of classical Chinese opera even in current situations.