Xiaopin: Chinese Theatrical Skits as Both Creatures and Critics of Commercialism

China Quarterly

Volumn , Issue 154, 1998, Pages 382-399

  Du, Wenwei ^a  

^a NONE

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

EID: 0010046313     PISSN: 03057410     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1017/s0305741000002071     Document Type: Article

References (54)

1. Gao Mingluan, "Pin xiaopin - xiju xiaopin yanjiu gaiguan" ("Savour the xiaopin - a general survey of the theatrical skit studies"), Xiju (Drama), No. 1 (1995), p. 78. Quoted from Wang Dongming, "Xiju xiaopin chuyi" ("My humble opinion on the theatrical skits"), Dianshi yu xiju (Television and Drama), No. 3 (1992).
2. Gao Mingluan, "Pin xiaopin - xiju xiaopin yanjiu gaiguan" ("Savour the xiaopin - a general survey of the theatrical skit studies"), Xiju (Drama), No. 1 (1995), p. 78. Quoted from Wang Dongming, "Xiju xiaopin chuyi" ("My humble opinion on the theatrical skits"), Dianshi yu xiju (Television and Drama), No. 3 (1992).
3. Ibid.
4. Chen Li traces the use of xiaopin to the introduction of Stanislav's system to the teaching of Chinese spoken drama (huaju) in the 1950s. Chen Li, "Huashuo xiaopin" ("On the theatrical skits"), Juzuojia (Dramatists), No. 2 (1996), p. 70.
5. Some Chinese critics trace the first appearance of such comic skits on television to earlier dates. Chen Xiaoying listed a 1964 TV programme entitled "Evening comedy party" ("Xiao de wanhui") as the first appearance of theatrical skits on television: see Chen Xiaoying, "Dianshi wanhui xiju xiaopin" ("Comic skits in television soiree"), Zhongguo dianshi (China's Television), No. 10 (1995), p. 4. But in the 1960s, few people had access to television. The television did not become a common household item until the 1980s.
6. "Chen Peisi xiaopin zhuanji" ("The collection of Chen Peisi's theatrical skits"), Central Television Station, 1988.
7. Due to the popularity of the xiaopin, some traditional regional operas now perform skits in their own distinctive linguistic styles. These skits are termed "xiqu xiaopin."
8. Gong Hanlin, "Da majiang" ("Play mahjong"), Central Television Station, 1990.
9. Xiang Zi, "Xiaopin zheng nianqing" ("Xiaopin is still in its formative years"), Dazhong dianshi (Popular Television), No. 11 (1993), p. 28.
10. Han Suling, "Xie, xiaopin yishu de weishengsu" ("Comic elements - the vitamin of the xiaopin art"), Xiwen (Zhejiang Theatre), No. 1 (1995), pp. 51-52. In the past couple of years, there have appeared a few non-humorous skits called the serious xiaopin (zhengju xiaopin). Han observes: "The xiaopin pieces without humour deviate from the early xiaopin skits, they are alienated from the original form by the subjective intentions of their authors ..."
11. Jin Enju, "Lun xiju xiaopin de tezheng" ("On the characteristics of the theatrical xiaopin"), Juying yuebao (Drama and Film Monthly), No. 10 (1994), p. 18.
12. Zhao Jianming, "Xiaopin chuangzuo zhi wojian" ("My view on the xiaopin creation"), Sichuan xiju (Sichuan Drama), No. 1 (1996), p. 10.
13. Liu Xingming, "Shidai huhuan 'yishu kuaican' " ("Our time calls for 'artistic fast food' "), Sichuan xiju (Sichaun Drama), No. 2 (1993), p. 28.
14. Yu Shi, "Miandui xianshi, bawo weilai - tan 'delisi bei' quanguo xiaopin chuangzuo dajiang sai" ("Face the reality and grasp the future: reflections on the "Delisi Cup" nationwide contest for xiaopin creation"), Juben (Play Scripts), No. 6 (1993), p. 51.
15. Jin Feng, "Wenyi wutai de ku la suan tian" ("The bitter and sweet of the stage"), Yamei shibao (Asia-America Times), (11 March 1995), p. 11.
16. Hu Ke, "Cujin xiaopin chuangzuo de fanrong - bai you xiaopin ji xu" ("Promote xiaopin creation - preface to A Collection of One Hundred Outstanding Comic Skits"), Juben (Play Scripts), No. 4 (1995), p. 76.
17. Diao Chengguo, "Xiju xiaopin yao biaoxin liyi" ("Theatrical skits need unconventionality and originality"), Dianshi yu xiju (Television and Drama), No. 4 (1996), pp. 33-34.
18. Jiao Naiji and Huang Hong adapted "Da puke" ("The card game"), by Wang Mingyi, in Yijiu jiusi nian chunjie lianhuan wanhui (The 1994 Chinese New Year Soiree), Central Television Station, January 1994.
19. Qu Renhai, "Zhuhe yu qiwang-zai quanguo huaju xiaopin, xiqu xiao xiju bisai bimushishang de jianghua" ("Congratulations and expectations: the talk at the closing ceremony of the nationwide contest for comic skits in the styles of huaju and regional operas"), Juben (Play Scripts), No. 12 (1992), p. 8.
20. See ibid, and Yao Xin, "Qinfen chuangzuo, fanrong wenyi-zai quanguo huaju xiaopin, xiqu xiaoxiju bisai kaimushi shang de jianghua" ("Creation through diligence, prosperity in art: the talk at the opening ceremony of the nationwide contest for comic skits in the styles of huaju and regional operas"), Juben (Play Scripts), No. 12 (1992), p. 3.
21. See ibid, and Yao Xin, "Qinfen chuangzuo, fanrong wenyi-zai quanguo huaju xiaopin, xiqu xiaoxiju bisai kaimushi shang de jianghua" ("Creation through diligence, prosperity in art: the talk at the opening ceremony of the nationwide contest for comic skits in the styles of huaju and regional operas"), Juben (Play Scripts), No. 12 (1992), p. 3.
22. Guo Xifeng and Xiao Xianzhi, "Liaoning xiaopin da huapo" ("The slip of the xiaopin in the Liaoning Province"), Dianshi yu xiju (Television and Drama), Nos. 8-9 (1994), p. 25.
23. Guo Da, "Wo yu xiaopin" ("Xiaopin and I"), Dangdai xiju (Contemporary Theatre), No. 1 (1994), pp. 46-47.
24. Jin Feng, "The bitter and sweet of the stage."
25. Shen Yongnian, "Yiju chengming" ("Become famous overnight"), a xiangsheng performance by Zhao Weizhou and Yang Shaohua, in 1995 Yuandan xiangsheng xiaopin wanhui (The 1995 New Year xiangsheng and xiaopin Soiree), Central Television Station, 1 January 1995.
26. The information comes from a notice in Juben (Play Scripts), No. 11 (1995), p. 80.
27. The information comes from a notice in Juben, No. 6 (1994), p. 80.
28. Peng Minggeng, "Shinian gengyun, shuoguo leilei" ("The bumper harvest after ten years' cultivation"), Juben (Play Scripts), No. 11 (1995), p. 80.
29. Yu Shi, "Face the reality and grasp the future," p. 51.
30. Liang Bingkun, "Man tan Jiao Naiji de xiaopin yishu" ("Reflections on the art of Jiao Naiji's xiaopin"), Zhongguo dianshi bao (Chinese Television Newspaper), (10 January 1994), p. 10.
31. Yuan Wengang, "Chunjie wanhui renwu xiezhen" ("People behind the Chinese New Year Soiree"), Zhongguo dianshi bao (ChineseTelevision Newspaper), , (7 February 1994), p. 13.
32. Jiang Buying, "Zhao Deping xiju xiaopin jianshang: shenghuo, jiqing, linggan" ("Appreciating Zhao Deping's xiaopin: life, aspiration and inspiration"), Da wutai (Grand Stage), No. 2 (1995), pp. 22-25.
33. Liu Xinwu, "Gai bu jiedai" ("Please do not disturb."), Xinjuben (New Play Scripts), No. 6 (1992), pp. 4-9.
34. Li Baoqun, "Zuihou yige duzhe" ("The last reader"), Dianshi yu xiju (Television and Drama), No. 6 (1994), pp. 32-33.
35. Ibid. p. 33.
36. Ibid.
37. Yu Deyi, "Ti lan xiao mai" ("An intellectual setting up a vending stall"), Juben (Play Scripts), No. 4 (1994), pp. 70-72.
38. Li Dongsheng, "Jie jing" ("Street scene"), Yingju yishu (Film and Theatre Arts), No. 4 (1994), pp. 55-56.
39. Yu Deyi, "Xiao laoban" ("Little boss"), Dianshi yu xiju (Television and Drama), Nos 8-9 (1994), pp. 28-30.
40. Ibid. p. 30.
41. Jing Wang, High Culture Fever: Politics, Aesthetics, and Ideology in Deng's China (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1996), p. 264.
42. Wang Li, "Jingpin wu" ("The store of high-price goods"), Quyi (Folk Performing Arts), No. 8 (1994), pp. 25-28.
43. Ma Guirong and Gao Zhiwen, "Wen dao yu mang" ("Asking the way from a blind man"), Quyi (Folk Performing Arts), No. 10 (1994), pp. 18-20.
44. Zheng Guixiu, "Yuan qu de gesheng" ("The distant song"), Juzuojia (Dramatists), No. 3 (1994), pp. 42-44.
45. Cui Kai, "Niu dashu tigan" ("Uncle Niu promoted"), in Yijiujiuwu nian chunjie lianhuan wanhui (The 1995 Chinese New Year Soiree), Central Television Station, January 1995.
46. Li Dajian, "Canting yishi" ("Anecdotes in the canteen"), Juben (Play Scripts), No. 6 (1993), pp. 53-56.
47. Gao Shucun, "San koumen" ("Three visits"), Dianshi yu xiju (Television and Drama), No. 1 (1995), pp. 34-36.
48. Zhang Huasheng, "Yi zi qian jin" ("One word worth 1,000 yuan"), Juben (Play Scripts), No. 4 (1994), pp. 68-70.
49. Cai Ming and Wang Weidong, "Fuqin" ("Father"), in Yijiujiuwu nian chunjie lianhuan wanhui (The 1995 Chinese New Year Soiree), Central Television Station, January 1995.
50. Wei Lirong, "Waitao" ("Overcoat"), Yingju yishu (Film and Theatre Arts), No. 5 (1994), pp. 42-43.
51. Man Baotian, "De yu shi" ("Gain and loss"), Yingju yishu (Film and Theatre Arts), No. 5 (1994), pp. 41-42.
52. Jiao Naiji and Huang Hong, "The card game".
53. Geremie Barmé, "Soft porn, packaged dissent, and nationalism: notes on Chinese culture in the 1990s," Current History, (September 1994), p. 271.
54. Jing Wang, High Culture Fever: Politics, Aesthetics, and Ideology in Deng's China, p. 263.