Specially Promoted Research:“A Study of the Culture of Court Theatre during the Qing Dynasty”

Grant-in-Aid for Specially Promoted Research
“A Study of the Culture of Court Theatre during the Qing Dynasty”

Term of Project: 2008-2012 (5 years)

Objectives of Research Project
Theatre in China has not just been a form of mere cultural entertainment, but has also had close bearings on the psychological makeup of the Chinese, the formation of their attitudes, and the spread of Sinocentric thought. Its origins lie in the court theatre of the Qing dynasty, and it has been regarded as a form of state-endorsed culture that went beyond the bounds of performing art. In this research project we take up for consideration the culture of this court theatre, which formed part of national policy during the Qing dynasty, and, focusing on its social reception and development, we clarify the role played by court theatre during the Qing dynasty under the rule of the Great Qing empire (Daicing gurun) and also the functions fulfilled by theatre in the mental makeup and social order of contemporary Chinese with a view to educing its cultural characteristics and further advancing an essential understanding of China.