The influence of male dan on female performers in jingju

Abstract

This thesis analyzes the influence of male cross-dressing performance on female performers when the cultural policy prevented female actors from the stage during Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1912) dynasties in China. Jingju was born under such circumstances, whose female characters were shaped by male performers. Men invented a series of external elements to perform femininity on stage, including qiao, wigs, make-up, and costumes. Since jingju was a conventionalized art form, it highly valued tradition and discipline, which resulted in the inheritance of the female performance style created by male performers. When women returned to the stage, they had to follow the rules established by male performers and put on external decorations to their bodies. Male performers were embodying a generalized female image but rather created a particular character. The generalization in portraying female characters instead of a particular woman caused more difficulty for women since they had to erase themselves and perform the ideal female image created by men. Male cross-dressing performers received warm welcomes and appreciation from audiences. In the thesis, I studied Li Yuru, a female jingju performer, for her performance style. She attempted to change her performance style so that she could win some attention under the popularity of Mei Lanfang. Instead of inventing her own portrayal of the character, she returned to applying earlier male dan performance style, which suggested the deep influence of male dan on female performers.

Date of Award	3 Oct 2023
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	University of Bristol
Supervisor	Eleanor K Rycroft (Supervisor) & Elaine M McGirr (Supervisor)