Wow! eBook
Historical Dictionary of Chinese Theater: 27
Author(s): Tan Ye (Author)
- Publisher: Scarecrow Press
- Publication Date: 13 Aug. 2008
- Language: English
- Print length: 592 pages
- ISBN-10: 0810855143
- ISBN-13: 9780810855144
Book Description
There is a sense of timelessness in the Chinese theater: ever since its maturation, its format has not changed in any significant way. Chinese Theater matured into its final format in the 13th century and flourished during the Yuan, Ming, and Qing Dynasties. It is a unique, exclusive, and self-sufficient system, whose evolution has received little influence from the West and whose influence on Western theaters has been minimal and often misinterpreted. It is essentially a performer’s theater; the actors attract the audience with splendid performances perfected through many years of rigorous training. The Historical Dictionary of Chinese Theater is the first English language dictionary dedicated entirely to Chinese theater. The history of Chinese theater is told through a chronology, an introductory essay, and over 1,000 cross-referenced dictionary entries on performers, directors, producers, designers, actors, theaters, dynasties, and emperors. There are also entries on the many different theatrical traditions, the acting and staging techniques, and specifics on roles and costumes as well as a brief synopsis of major plays. This book is essential for anyone interested in Chinese Theater.
Editorial Reviews
Review
Valuable reference…. An extensive bibliography…. A superb, well-written, interesting book. The scholar as well as the casual reader will certainly learn a great deal about one of the foundations of eastern culture. ― American Reference Books Annual
About the Author
Tan Ye is professor of Comparative Theater in the Department of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures, the Director of the Confucius Institute, and Director of the Chinese Program at the University of South Carolina. He is the author of Common Dramatic Codes in Yuan and Elizabethan Theaters (1997), Theory and Practice of Screenwriting in China and America (co-edited with Li Jin, 2008), and Historical Dictionary of Chinese Theater (2009).
