Cross-Dressing in Chinese OperaThe enchantment of the figure of the "male dan" – female impersonator – remains a residual element in the cultural imagination of many contemporary Chinese societies. The various kinds of interpretive possibilities in the commanding tradition of cross-dressing Chinese opera have yet to be examined in-depth. In order to discuss "mistaken identity" and gender issues as they relate to cross-dressing on the Chinese operatic stage, this book examines a wide range of materials, including traditional dramatic texts, modern literary writings, critical writings (for example, quhua), opera paintings, and contemporary movies. The book explores gendering and gender differences that are constructed, reproduced, dismantled, and contested in this particularly rich site of Chinese culture. |
Contents
1 | |
9 | |
13 | |
History | 27 |
Text | 65 |
Artifact | 135 |
Acting | 153 |
Body | 171 |
Epilogue | 215 |
Notes | 219 |
247 | |
Glossary | 281 |
291 | |
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Common terms and phrases
acting actresses aesthetic Beijing opera binary body Bright Pearl Butterfly Cantonese opera century character Chen Chinese drama Chinese music drama Chinese opera Chinese theatre classical context costume criticism cross-dressing discourse disguise female cross-dressing female impersonator female players feminine fictional figure gender Hegemon King heterosexual history of Chinese Hong Kong Hua Mulan ideology imperial China Jingju Kunju Kunqu Liang Shanbo Liang-Zhu Liao Lu Xun mainland male and female male cross-dressing male transvestite masculine Mei Lanfang Ming modern Mulan mural narrative opera film patriarchal performance play playwright politics prettiness-eroticism Qian Qing Qing'er Qu Yuan queer regional operas representation role role-type Ruhua scholars sexual Shanghai Shen sheng Song Song Dynasty story subversion Taipei textual theatrical tongzhi traditional Chinese transvestism transvestite Tsui Wang woman warrior women Xun's Yuan Dynasty Yuan theatre Yuan zaju Yueju opera zaju Zhang Zhongdu Zhongdu Xiu Zhou Zhu Yingtai