| This dissertation examines images of America and Americans in Chinese spoken drama from the mid-1980s to the present, a period of increased contact with the United States through overseas travel of Chinese citizens. This " chuguo" trend enhanced the frequency, diversity, and complexity of representations of Americans in Chinese plays. Considered here is the degree to which these images function as racial and cultural stereotypes, articulations of national identity, official or subversive political strategy, and artistic innovation.; The introduction explores the origins, as well as cultural and political contexts, of such representations and locates China's unique position within postcolonial discourse. The second chapter examines the emergence and proliferation of the term "Occidentalism" and defines its use in this project, considering it as a discursive practice through which stage representations of Americans are articulated. Subsequent chapters present case studies of four significant plays produced between 1987 and 1995 that illustrate the variety and complexity of images of the American and the range of representations that constitute Occidentalism. The conclusion describes the most recent example of such a play and raises questions about the challenge of identifying a useful model for cross-cultural, transnational theatrical representation. |
