■Both Simple and Economic of the Stage Setting

simple stage and property would perform everything.

The stage of Chinese opera is the most economic design of all sorts of drama.Due to not using settings, there are only the simplest properties; therefore, there is the praise of “nothing to have, having everything”.Why there is such praise Section Chief Chang considers that because of Chinese opera stage normally has nothing on it prior to the appearance of the actor; therefore, when the actor shows up, all the performances break through limits of time and space, and will evoke the concrete free association of the audience by symbolic imagery.Thus, actors may go as they wish to heaven and down to the earth, up to mountain and dive to the sea.For example, couple clouds represents soaring high in the sky; several water flags represents body beneath the sea.A gesture of opening the door represents the door has been opened, and a movement walking upstairs represents already in the upper floor.That’s why the stage can be said having everything.

■There are rules for walking and traveling of the actors on stage

Platform of the Chinese opera stage.

In the past, Chinese opera had no big curtains, there was only one table and two chairs.Later, big curtains added on stage with table and chairs.Actors conducted changing costumes and other preparatory works backstage. There are eight positions divided on the stage.Getting on and off, having seated, chasing to get off and so on, although they may break through the limits of time and space; however, the actor has to be in certain position to conduct singing, reading lyrics, doing gestures, and playing martial movements.Actor is getting on from the “get-on” door, showing his face in the horse door, opening his mouth while walking to Jiu-Long door of the get-on door, and having seated when walking to the very middle of the stage.While have seated, there is small table of the front room table and big seat of the back room seat.Sitting in the small seat has to be turn to left; and big seat right and walking in an S shape.When walking down the stage, actor first walks toward the side curtain of the “get-off” door, turns around to the Jiu-Long door of the get-off door and finishes reading or singing of his last sentence, and then he may be allowed to get off the stage.

■Whatever you conceived, there are everything in the Chinese opera.Nothing is strange

Diversity of the stage: private residency

Diversity of the stage: battle field

In fact, due to the difference of the properties, the Chinese opera stage could be empire palace, royal residency, private home, abandon suburban, and could be military school, martial field, judicious house,or prison and so on.It all depends on the singing and reading of the actors to describe.Audience will understand all.The small stage says everything, and changes constantly.That is the feature of the stage.

Reference:
Ding-Din Wang, Editor-in-Chief, Getting Acquaintances to Chinese Opera, National Taiwan Arts Education Center, 1992. / sorted by research team.
Source of Photos:
Guoguang Opera Company http://www.kk.gov.tw/
Teaching website of JingJuLong http://www.jingjulong.cn/intro_to_beijing_opera.htm

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