A History of Chinese Theatre in the 20th Century I

Originally published as 20 shi ji Zhongguo xi ju shi by Zhongguo she hui ke xue chu ban she, 2016.
The 20th century was a dynamic period for the theatrical arts in China. Booming urban theater, the interaction between commercial practice and theater, dramas staged during the War of Resistance against Japan and an in-depth communication between Western and Eastern theater all contributed to the momentousness of this period. The four volumes of "A History of Chinese Theater in the 20th Century" display the developmental trajectories of Chinese theater over those hundred years.

This volume deals with the developmental process of Chinese theater from 1900 to 1949, covering the prosperity of Peking Opera, the advent of play and colorful local dramas. The author shows that the modernization of Chinese theatre was subject to both internal factors and influences from the outside world, while modernity and localization are two contradictory but complementary dimensions in any interpretation of Chinese theater in the 20th century.

Scholars and students in the history of the arts, especially the history of Chinese theater, will find this book to be an essential guide.