The 20th century was a dynamic period for the theatrical arts in China.
Booming urban theatres, the interaction between commercial practice and
theatre, dramas staged during the War of Resistance against Japan and a
healthy dialogue between Western and Eastern theatres all contributed to
the momentousness of this period. The four volumes of "A History of
Chinese Theatre in the 20th Century" display the developmental
trajectories of Chinese theatre over those hundred years.
This volume deals with the development of Chinese theatre 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 theatre in the 20th century.
Scholars and students in the history of the arts, especially the history
of Chinese theatre, will find this book to be an essential guide.