The Modern Reform Of Japanese Noh

Noh is the most representative art form of the four traditional Japanese dramas which also has the longest history.In modern times,the traditional Noh began to absorb modernization reform in order to adapt to the changes of the time and the impact of western culture.As a young writer who is keen on Noh,Mishima Yukio felt the wave of reform and joined in the search for innovative ways to reform it.Handan is the only work with the theme of Chinese legends.The source of "Handan dream" is well-known in China and has been adapted into various types of literary works,then spread to Japan across the ocean and gained the approval of Japanese writers until this day.Through the change of time and space and the transformation of expression,"Handan dream" is still used in the whole East Asian literary circle as the image of insight into life.Mishima Yukio choose this traditional theme for modernization adaptation in order to fight against the mainstream trend of "Total Westernization" in Japanese society at that time,he wants to prove that the experience of western is not a universal form of modernity,oriental countries have unique literature resources that can be modernized.This paper compares a traditional Noh of Handan with a modern Noh adapted by Mishima Yukio.From the different ways of expression of the two Noh on this classic theme,we can see the characteristics of modern Noh after the reform of Mishima Yukio.Then we can further analyze the reasons for the formation of these artistic characteristics according to the context of the times.In addition to the introduction,the whole article is divided into four chapters:The introduction illustrates the objective of this study,summarizes the domestic and foreign research status of Handan base on the ancient and modern parts of Noh and briefly describes the methods and ideas of the research.Based on the method of comparative study,this paper uses various theoretical tools such as narratology,drama performance theory and Japanese classical literary theory to carry out comparative analysis from the content of the script and the stage art to summarize the artistic characteristics of the drama reform of Mishima Yukio and the reasons for its formation.The first chapter illustrates the evolution of the story of "Handan dream" which was introduced into the ancient and modern Noh,and investigates the source of the story in Japanese Noh.The source of Noh Handan can be traced back to the legend of Pillow Story of Tang Dynasty in China.This theme was included in the military story Taiheiki after it was introduced into Japan,then it was introduced into the traditional Noh and was adapted into the modern Noh.The second chapter compares the script content of Handan from four aspects.The modern Noh of Handan complements and enriches the characters of the story in the traditional Noh.The characters in the play are upgraded from thin functional symbols to complex and vivid individuals.The focus of the story is shifted from the surreal imaginary world to the real life,then overturns the religious salvation theme promoted by the traditional Noh.In addition,modern Noh has made a lot of new attempts in the narrative mode,breaking the single narrative system of traditional Noh,while retaining the charm of some traditional Noh in terms of style.On the whole,the content of modern Noh emphasizes the attention to the secular people and their actual living conditions,which realizes the dereligion of traditional Noh.The third chapter analyzes the stage art of Handan from three aspects.The modern Noh of Handan has abandoned the stylized performance while retaining the implicit and lyrical tradition of the traditional Noh,reflecting the transition from freehand brushwork to realism in the stage performance of Noh.Its costume and props design has also changed from abstract virtual to concrete realism,which has shortened the distance between the daily life of ordinary people.At the same time,Mishima Yukio has abandoned the traditional Noh theater and stage and weakened the religious mystery of Noh.The fourth chapter summarizes the artistic characteristics and reasons of the modernization reform of Noh.Modern Noh has obvious secularization tendency,which is to adapt to the change of Noh's audience from aristocratic samurai class to modern Japanese citizens.When Mishima Yukio adapted Handan,he tried to combine classical song and dance drama with modern drama in genre.This reform idea was influenced by the literary group "Kumonokai" he participated in and "the movement of three-dimensional literature" he advocated.In addition,Mishima Yukio tries to integrate the eastern and western drama culture with modern Noh as the carrier.This reform idea has sprouted since the introduction of western culture into Japan after Meiji Restoration.As a integrator,Mishima Yukio successfully balances the relationship between nationalization and globalization in the process of modernization reform of Noh.It can be seen that Mishima Yukio achieved the dereligion and secularization of the traditional Noh in the reform through the comparative analysis of the ancient and modern Handan.He has abandoned most of the forms on surface of the traditional Noh but retained its lingering and lyrical core and injected modern people's thoughts and emotions into it.He has successfully combined the form of western drama with the aesthetic taste of oriental drama,developing a new way for the modernization of the traditional oriental drama.