A Study Of The Craft And Folk Customs Of Shanxi Theater Helmets

Theatrical helmet is a collective name for the various kinds of helmets worn by the characters in traditional opera performances,called "helmet head" in Opera Culture.Theatrical helmets represent the true portrayal of the status of various personalities,concentrating on the aesthetic development and cultural accumulation of the Chinese nation.With the diversification of entertainment methods in modern society,the survival of traditional opera is worrying,and there are severe developmental difficulties in helmet-making techniques attached to opera performances.Shanxi theater helmet production technology is cumbersome and the materials are exquisite,which has formed a unique handmade technique with strict and standardized skills and attention to stage art.As a folk craft,the theatrical helmet is unique,ingenious and has a high aesthetic value,which not only has the cultural connotation of traditional opera,but also contains abundant folklore meaning.It is used in performances to portray and render the artistic effects of the characters,and plays a role in the performance of the drama.It is also of academic significance to the study of traditional Chinese drama,theatrical costumes and ancient crowns and hats.This paper takes the Shanxi theater helmet as the research object,and is split into seven parts.The first is the introduction,which introduces the origin of the topic,the purpose and significance of the study,and reviews the current research status of traditional craft paradigm,theatrical costumes and theatrical helmets.The first chapter explains the origin and development of craft folklore,summarizes the research paradigm of craft folklore,and uses it as the basis for study of Shanxi theatrical helmets.Chapter 2 introduces the production environment(Taiyuan,Gaoping,and Pingding)and the historical development of theatrical helmet-making techniques.Chapter 3 records the process and tools of making theatrical helmets and collects the styles of theatrical helmets in Shanxi,fully illustrating that theatrical helmets are one of the traditional handicraft techniques that reflect the high level of antique handicrafts in China.Chapter four explores the functional relationship between theatrical helmets and folk culture,analyzes the pattern ornamentation on the helmets,and discusses the use of theatrical helmets in folk rituals and the social functions they play.In the fifth chapter,after analyzing the current situation of the skills and inheritors,countermeasures and suggestions for the transmission and development of the theatrical helmet are proposed.