The Evolution of Drama
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Summary
Editor's review
As an editor, I consider the book's core value to lie in its clear framework and accessible presentation. It avoids overly abstruse academic discussion and aims to build a complete knowledge map for general readers and theater enthusiasts. Key concepts, representative playwrights and works, and important schools are introduced concisely, with a suitable number of illustrations and background materials, making the reading experience smooth and rewarding. It is more like a "historical map of theater," helping readers quickly locate the landmark events and figures of each period and providing reliable coordinates for further exploration.
It should be noted, however, that as an edited popular work, it necessarily makes trade-offs in depth and academic currency on specific issues. Readers seeking sharp theatrical criticism or in-depth theoretical analysis may find the book rather basic. But for readers who wish to understand the origins and development of theatrical art and build systematic knowledge, it is undoubtedly an excellent gateway. Its value lies in "overview" and "initiation," effectively sparking interest in this composite art and laying a solid background for future playgoing and script reading.
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Beginning readers interested in the history of theater but lacking systematic knowledge
- General enthusiasts hoping to broaden their humanities knowledge and compare Chinese and Western cultures
- Students who need a historical framework of theater as supplementary study material
- Readers who enjoy popular cultural works and seek a well-rounded knowledge structure
Not a good fit for
- Professional researchers seeking in-depth theoretical analysis or cutting-edge academic perspectives
- Readers interested only in a specific genre or period
Reading tips
- Read chapters in order to build a sense of linear history, or skip to specific regions or periods according to interest
- Look up the classic plays mentioned and seek out their scripts or performance recordings for a more vivid experience
- After finishing, use the book as a starting point for further reading on any period that sparks particular interest
About the publisher
Founded in 1982, Modern Press is a Chinese publisher that serves general readers across a diverse range of subjects. Judging from its catalog, its publishing focuses on classical poetry, Eastern philosophy, psychological research and application, popular science, and modern poetry, along with history, biography, and children's books. The Book of Songs, the illustrated vernacular edition of the Classic of Mountains and Seas, The Complete Poems of Dai Wangshu, and Buddhism in the Vegetable Roots reflect efforts to make traditional culture and poetry accessible; works by Carl Gustav Jung such as The Development of Personality and Understanding Your Psychological Type, together with titles from the Ivy International Education Alliance, show sustained attention to psychology and educational reading; and Stephen Hawking's works and the illustrated two-volume Brief History of Everything and A Brief History of Time indicate a commitment to popular science. Its authors include figures such as Qu Wanli, Xu Ke, Dai Wangshu, and Jung, and its publishing emphasizes retelling classics and accessible, illustrated presentation. Because public information is limited, this summary is based only on the titles in our catalog.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 序言
- 源流演化——歌舞表演
- 原始狩猎舞发展成歌舞表演
- 夏商周由祭祀产生的歌舞
- 秦汉隋唐百戏集演的创新发展
- 唐玄宗倡导设梨园作大曲
- 唐传奇小说成为戏曲宝库
- 渐入成熟——宋金杂剧
- 宋杂剧走向独立发展道路
- 孔三传首创诸宫调说唱艺术
- 九山书会才子首创南戏戏文
- 思想艺术独到的金代董解元
- 开创辉煌——元代戏曲
- 元杂剧出现众多旷世杰作
- 鼎盛时期演员的精湛技艺
- 元杂剧具有完整的戏曲形式
- 南戏的代表作品“四大传奇”
- 南戏形成完整的表演体系
- 鼎盛时代——明清戏曲
- 地方南戏形成了四大声腔
- 明清传奇创造许多优秀剧目
- 地方戏新奇迭出百花竞放
- 戏曲大事——京剧形成
- 花部雅部争胜推动京剧的形成
- 以形传神形神兼备的京剧艺术
- 京剧迅速传遍全国成为国粹
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About the author
Xiao Dongfa (1949–2016), whose ancestral home was Tianjin and who was born in Shenyang, was a professor and doctoral supervisor at the School of Journalism and Communication, Peking University, and director of its Institute of Modern Publishing. An important scholar in editing and publishing studies, he focused on the history of Chinese books, publishing history, and yearbook studies. He edited the History of Chinese Editing and Publishing and Chinese Libraries of Book Collecting, and led the National Social Science Fund key project A General History of Chinese Publishing, laying a solid foundation for the organization and narration of Chinese publishing history. Beyond academic writing, he attended to Peking University's institutional history and humanistic traditions, writing works such as Character: From the Imperial University to Old Peking University, Exemplars: Former Residences and Anecdotes of Peking University Notables, and Scenes: Yanyuan Landscapes and Cultural Heritage, which recount campus memories and personal stories with warmth. His works also touch on the four treasures of the study, garden architecture, and academic writing standards. Some 491 of his titles are held in the library, spanning language and culture, biography, and architecture, and combining scholarly rigor with accessible readability.
