Staging Revolution: Artistry and Aesthetics in Model Beijing Opera During the Cultural Revolution

Abstract

English-language scholarship concerning China’s Model Revolutionary Works (geming yangbanxi 革命样板戏) has struggled with the lingering influence of the Cold War for decades. The theater that was elevated during the Cultural Revolution (1966–1976) has often been evaluated in terms of its association with the state and ability to disseminate the message of the Chinese Communist Party to its audiences. While this perspective is valuable in describing what was quite clearly propagandistic performance, Staging Revolution: Artistry and Aesthetics in Model Beijing Opera during the Cultural Revolution by Xing Fan makes a critical contribution by proposing that model Beijing Operas (Jingju京剧) should also be appreciated from the perspective of their aesthetic accomplishments. As Fan so adroitly points out, research that solely emphasizes the political aspects of model works