Construction And Evolution Of Heroic Images In Contemporary Chinese Drama

Construction of heroic images,one of the most important themes in contemporary Chinese drama,not only gives artistic presentation on stage but also reflects the humanistic connotation in the view of heroes in various periods.Over the course of seven decades,Chinese drama has evolved from an imported product at the birth of our new country drawing lessons from Soviet Union into independent development catering to the specific conditions in China.In each distinct period,the portrayal of heroic images has shouldered the historical mission of its time,with a consistent yet different spiritual essence in the concept of heroism and the depiction of heroic images.This paper focuses longitudinally on the formation and distinctive characteristics of the concept of heroism in different historical periods within contemporary China(1949-2023).It examines the construction and evolution of heroic images in contemporary drama through the lenses of their genealogy,spiritual essence,and artistic representation.The delineation of the construction and evolution of heroic images is divided into four periods: the early years of the People’s Republic,the Cultural Revolution,the 1980 s,and the new era.Horizontally,this comprehensive approach incorporates specific textual and staged works,scrutinizing the formation of the concept of heroism in each period,the specific construction and characteristics of heroic images,as well as the artistic presentation of heroic images on stage.By identifying the defining features of heroic images in each period,the study aims to provide a holistic examination of the characteristics and evolutionary process of the portrayal of heroic images in contemporary Chinese drama.In the early years of the People’s Republic,the portrayal of heroic images on the stage of Chinese drama was largely a continuation of the cultural aspirations of the liberated areas,combined with the theoretical framework of Soviet literature and art.As the new regime continuously explored and developed,there was an urgent need to establish and refine its own ideological discourse,cultural logic,and artistic theories.During this period,the political need to "create heroes in response to the times" led to the emergence of "new heroic images" on the stage of drama,reflecting the intersection of political exigencies,the spirit of the times,public psychology,and the unique propagandistic function of drama.The art of drama effectively fulfilled the propaganda and educational functions of socialist literature and art during this period.At the same time,as a result of the revolutionary optimism and romantic spirit prevailing among playwrights amidst the atmosphere of renewal and reconstruction,the idealized heroic images of this period exhibited both extraordinary idealized characteristics and a certain degree of distortion in the portrayal of basic human nature.From this period onwards,due to the continuous elevation of the standards for character portrayal,the depiction of heroic images in contemporary drama began to exhibit a trend towards standardization.Whether in terms of the preconditions of class in creation or the standardized presentation on stage,the portrayal of heroic images gradually lost its individuality and veered towards distortion.Amidst the ideological atmosphere and artistic principles of the time,the idealized portrayal of heroic images transitioned to a "divinized" state during the Cultural Revolution in the 1960 s and 1970 s.Under the principle of "three prominences" in creative work,the portrayal of heroic images in drama evidently exhibited a "divinized" quality.This period witnessed an extreme state of creativity not only in the field of drama but throughout the entire literary and artistic community.Within this context,the survival space for drama itself was extremely limited,leading to a situation where the construction of heroic images largely deviated from the realm of art,and the trend towards standardization became even more pronounced.Due to the political needs of the "ultra-left" ideology,the portrayal of heroic images became a tool of political ideology,elevating the political consciousness and moral character of heroic images beyond normal life and even beyond basic human nature.The portrayal of heroic images became a form of artistic "deification" under the "political-cultural ceremony," necessitating a formulaic and standardized approach.During this period,the portrayal of heroic images in contemporary drama began to appear on stage with a "divinized" appearance.The weakening of the humanity of heroic images turned them into "spiritual islands" of personality and character,leading to a distorted "perfection" of heroic images.Symbolic of this trend was the emergence of "model operas," marking the departure of heroic images from the realms of human nature and history,becoming conceptual creations.Although heroic images appeared as absolute protagonists on stage,both the limitations of creation and the standardization of the stage led to a severe departure of heroic images from the realm of artistic creation.At the same time,it must be noted that the portrayal of heroic images during this period also displayed a certain artistic innovation in influencing the public,showcasing stage art,and typification.From the "divine" to the realistic,from distortion to return,the dust of the Cultural Revolution settled with the advent of the reform and opening up in the 1980 s,fostering the artistic thaw of literary works and the return of value to the portrayal of heroic images.Both playwrights and the general audience at this time harbored strong emotional catharsis and historical reflection.With the political rectification,the heroic images that initially appeared on the stage of drama were prophetic individuals reflecting upon the Cultural Revolution and opposing the ultra-left politics of the "Gang of Four." Although there was an enhancement of human elements,the standards for heroic images and the artistic expressions largely continued the patterns and tendencies from the previous period.With deepening reflections and reforms,along with the perplexity of history and the influence of Western modernist trends,a growing rejection of the portrayal of heroic images gradually surfaced,leading to an unprecedented trend of "non-heroic" inclinations in the standards and expressions of heroic images.As the "theatrical perspective debate" unfolded,Chinese drama began to reexamine its essential nature as an art form,reflecting on the idealized and divinized tendencies in the portrayal of heroic images,while also questioning the "non-heroic" inclinations.If the irrational trends of the "non-heroic" stemmed from the so-called "crisis of faith" after the end of the Cultural Revolution,the shift of heroic images towards a rational state in the late 1980 s was a result of playwrights and audiences engaging in calm reflection after emotional catharsis,and a reevaluation of the portrayal of heroic images as an artistic value consideration.With the expansion of artistic creation space,the standards for the portrayal of heroic images began to shift towards humanization and rationalization,further diversifying their values.The birth and development of heroic characters,based on human nature,thereby reflected their individual and emotional characteristics,and the creation of heroic images shifted from a deterministic fate to a possibility of self-choice.On the eve of the new century,influenced by various factors such as the wave of marketization and the aesthetic trends of the masses,the portrayal of heroic images became more complex and diversified.On one hand,the traditional sense of heroic images was more prevalent in "main theme" dramas,maintaining a connection with the tradition of drama creation since the 1950 s.However,because heroic images gradually became part of the market selection,and due to the public’s aesthetic fatigue with heroic images,coupled with the replacement of drama by film and online dramas,the portrayal of heroic images displayed a certain discomfort with the market economy,leading to the decline of the romanticized hero.It can be said that the shift of heroic images towards rationality and everyday life is an adjustment of artistic orientation towards the market.In the new century,the dual limitations of the thematic form and ideological content in contemporary drama,accompanied by the rapid development of new media art forms,have led to a universal crisis in theatrical art in the age of screen reading and integrated media.The portrayal of heroic images in drama inevitably requires further transformation.It can be said that the portrayal of heroic images has experienced a temporary confusion in the increasingly competitive cultural market,while also experiencing a rejuvenation in the development of diverse arts.As the ideological environment of the new era changes,new social issues and artistic propositions require dramatic art to undergo new explorations.The portrayal of heroic images in contemporary drama has shown a trend towards returning to traditional revolutionary heroic images on one hand,while on the other hand,it has engaged in a deeper exploration and experimentation with the individual and ideological combination of the "new hero" image.The portrayal of heroic images has strived for a more everyday and civilian image,seeking to realize the social function of making dramatic art more accessible to the public.Furthermore,as Chinese drama matures through nationalistic explorations and the trend of globalization,the stage of drama has begun to integrate modernity with nationalism,presenting a "Chinese hero" with a human consciousness.