introduction
In the court culture of the Ming Dynasty, the imperial theater supervisor was a very important part, it was a special institution for the emperor and his family members to perform opera, the imperial theater supervisor not only has an entertainment nature, but also undertook the important role of maintaining imperial power and displaying the emperor's cultural taste. The history of the imperial theater supervisor dates back to the Tang Dynasty, but reached a peak in the Ming Dynasty.
The organizational structure, performance form, actor selection and training of the imperial theater supervisor have unique characteristics and rules, forming a unique imperial opera culture. However, with the decline of politics and economy in the late Ming Dynasty, the imperial theater supervisor also gradually declined and was abolished in the Qing Dynasty.
In recent years, people have begun to re-examine the historical and artistic value of the imperial opera supervisor, and gradually realize its unique position and influence in the history of Chinese opera. Therefore, in-depth study of the historical evolution and artistic characteristics of the imperial opera supervisor is of great significance for better understanding the court culture of the Ming Dynasty, inheriting and developing the traditional Chinese opera culture. This paper will discuss the historical evolution, organizational structure, performance form, actor selection and training, artistic characteristics and influence, decline and inheritance of the royal theater supervisor.
The origin and development of the Imperial Drama Supervisor
The imperial drama supervisor originated in the Tang Dynasty, but reached its peak in the Ming Dynasty. In the Tang Dynasty, there were "Yule Yuan" and "Yule Administration" in the court, which were responsible for playing music, singing and dancing. These performing arts forms gradually evolved into opera arts, and the Royal Music Institute and the Royal Music Department also developed into the Imperial Theatre Supervisor.
After the establishment of the Ming Dynasty, the imperial theater supervisor gradually became an important part of the palace culture. In the early days of the Ming Dynasty, the imperial theater supervisor was subordinate to Zhongshu Province, and later transferred to the Ministry of Rites. During the Yongle period (1403-1424), Emperor Zhu Di of the Ming Dynasty began to vigorously promote imperial opera culture, establishing a new imperial opera institution called "Neifu", which was responsible for performing songs, dances and opera.
The scale of the royal theater supervisor has been continuously expanded, and a relatively complete organizational structure and performance form have gradually formed. During the Longqing period (1567-1572), the scale of the imperial opera supervisor was further expanded and divided into five types of opera, namely Beijing Opera, Han Opera, Han Tuo, Han Le, and Manchu Opera. Each genre has corresponding actors, music, costumes, props, etc., forming a unique art form.
The development of the imperial theater supervisor in the Ming Dynasty was strongly supported and promoted by the emperor. The emperor not only personally participated in the promotion and performance of imperial opera culture, but also ordered the selection of outstanding actors and writers to the palace to contribute to the development of court opera.
Famous imperial artists of the Ming Dynasty, such as Guan Hanqing, Bai Pu, and Li Shizhong, all wrote scripts for the imperial theater supervisor. In addition, the Ming court also hired some famous opera actors, such as Xun Huisheng, Yuan Pai, Ma Lianliang, etc., making important contributions to the performance and artistic level of the imperial theater supervisor.
In short, the origins of the imperial theater supervisor can be traced back to the Tang Dynasty, but reached a peak in the Ming Dynasty and became an important part of the imperial palace culture. In the Ming Dynasty, the scale, organizational structure and performance form of the imperial theater supervisor were perfected, and it became a unique imperial opera culture.
The organizational structure and responsibilities of the Royal Drama Supervisor
The organizational structure of the Ming Dynasty imperial theater supervisor included the inner house, the outer house, the court theater, etc., and each part had different responsibilities.
The first was the inner government, the core institution of the imperial theater supervisor, directly subordinate to the emperor. The inner house is divided into an internal part and an extra-palace part, which is responsible for the performances inside and outside the palace respectively. Under the inner government, there are theaters, stage classes, class heads, class leaders, inner government officials and other positions, each of which has corresponding responsibilities and powers.
The second is the outer province, which is responsible for other performances other than Gozen music and dance and Gozen performances. Under the Waifu, there are posts such as Waifu Officer, Waifu Officer, and Waifu Zheng.
In addition, there was the Palace Theater, where the emperor held large-scale performances. The palace theater is divided into two parts, the inner court is the emperor's private place, and the outer court is the general performance venue.
The duties of the Imperial Theatre Supervisor mainly include performing, supervising and protecting the artistic level and copyright of court opera. The repertoire performed by the imperial opera supervisor includes court opera and folk opera, and court opera is the key development direction of the imperial opera supervisor, and after years of development and accumulation, it has formed a unique performance style and artistic characteristics.
The Imperial Theatre Supervisor is also responsible for reviewing and managing the scripts and actors of the court opera to ensure the quality and level of performances. At the same time, the imperial drama supervisor also protects copyright, preventing the script and actors from being imitated and copied by other places, in short, the Ming Dynasty imperial theater supervisor has a relatively complete organizational structure, a clear division of responsibilities, and the performance of court opera as the main task, but also undertakes the important responsibility of supervising, protecting and promoting court opera.
The form and process of the performance of the royal theater supervisor
The format and process of the Royal Theatre Supervisor's performance varies depending on the time and occasion. Generally speaking, performances are divided into two forms, namely "imperial opera" and "secular opera".
"Imperial opera" refers to a court opera performed specifically for the emperor, and generally only the emperor, empress, court nobles and other distinguished guests can be present to watch, and other personnel are not authorized to enter and watch.
Imperial operas were generally staged in the theaters of the court, ceremonies and rehearsals were required before performances, and actors were strictly selected and trained. During the performance, the emperor on the throne will light a dragon-shaped incense candle to signify the official beginning, and the actors will start the performance at this time. After the performance, the actors will salute in front of the emperor to express their gratitude. The performance process of the imperial opera is very formal and has a high sense of ceremony.
"Folk opera" refers to other court opera performances other than imperial opera, and the performance venues include both the inner court and the outer court. The format and flow of the performance is relatively free, and in general, rehearsals and preparations are required before the performance, but no ceremony is required. During the performance, the audience can come and go at will, and the actors can interact with the audience.
The changes in the form and process of the performance of the imperial theater supervisor are closely related to the changes in the political, cultural and aesthetic concepts of the court. In the middle and late Ming Dynasty, with the attention of the emperor and the vigorous development of folk culture, the performance forms and processes of the imperial theater supervisor gradually became flexible and diverse, no longer limited to a rigorous sense of ritual, but began to pay attention to performance skills, rhythm changes and the vividness of the storyline.
Selection and training of actors by the Royal Theatre Supervisor
The imperial opera supervisor was the highest institution of court opera in the Ming Dynasty and had rich actor resources. In order to ensure the quality and level of the performance, the selection and training of the actors of the Royal Theater Superintendent is very strict.
In the selection of actors for the imperial theater supervisor, priority was given to talents within the court, such as eunuchs, chamberlains and eunuchs, who were generally better educated and had a good foundation in etiquette and performance. In addition, talented young people from all over the world are recruited for testing and selection. The selection criteria mainly include voice, body, performance skills and cultural quality.
Once selected to become an actor of the Royal Theatre Supervisor, rigorous training and training are required. The Imperial Theatre Superintendent has a special instructor responsible for the training and guidance of actors, who need to master the playing and singing skills of a variety of instruments, as well as understand the history, culture and etiquette of the royal family. In addition, the Imperial Drama Superintendent will also hold various competitions and evaluation activities to select and commend outstanding actors and plays, and promote the competition and progress of actors.
The actor training of the royal drama supervisor not only focuses on the polishing of basic skills, but more importantly, the cultivation of good personality quality and moral demeanor. Actors need to abide by strict court etiquette and rules, respect the emperor and court nobles, pay attention to words and deeds, and maintain the dignity and image of the court.
The artistic characteristics and influence of the royal theater supervisor
As the highest institution of court opera in the Ming Dynasty, the imperial opera supervisor has unique artistic characteristics and far-reaching influence.
First of all, the repertoire of the Royal Drama Supervisor covers a variety of opera art forms, including drama, music, dance and acrobatics, forming a rich variety of artistic styles and expression techniques. The repertoire of the imperial theater supervisor usually has a high artistic level and cultural connotation, and through the superb performances of the actors and the gorgeous scenes of the performances, it shows the dignity and glory of the imperial family in the Ming Dynasty, and expresses the emperor's love and care for the country and the people.
Secondly, the royal theater supervisor pays attention to the sense of etiquette and ceremony, emphasizes the dignity and rules of the court during the performance, and creates a solemn, sacred and beautiful atmosphere through the careful arrangement and scheduling of actors, audiences and scenes, so that the audience can feel the unique charm and value of court culture.
Finally, the performing arts of the imperial opera supervisor had a profound impact on the development and evolution of Chinese opera art. The repertoire and performance methods of the imperial opera supervisor became an important foundation and reference for later opera art, and art forms such as the imperial palace body and the yuan opera body were widely disseminated and inherited, and constantly evolved and developed, forming a rich and diverse Chinese opera culture.
In short, as an important part of the court culture of the Ming Dynasty, the imperial opera supervisor not only embodies the authority and glory of the imperial family, but more importantly, has made important contributions to the development and inheritance of Chinese opera art.
The decline and inheritance of the royal drama supervisor
With the decline of the Ming Dynasty and the rise of the Qing Dynasty, the imperial theater supervisor gradually lost its original status and influence. After the establishment of the Qing Dynasty, the imperial opera supervisor was abolished, and the art of opera gradually evolved into a folk art, which spread among the people.
However, the spirit and artistic style of the imperial opera supervisor have always influenced the development and inheritance of Chinese opera art. During the Qing Dynasty, the culture of quyi developed considerably, and opera genres such as Peking Opera, Yu Opera, and Pingju appeared one after another, inheriting and carrying forward the traditions and artistic styles of the imperial opera supervisors.
In modern times, with the increase of cultural exchanges and international influence, Chinese opera art has gradually become an important part of world culture, and at the same time, the research and protection of imperial opera supervisors have gradually received attention. Some research institutions and cultural organizations are committed to studying and inheriting the history, repertoire and performance methods of the Imperial Theatre Supervisor, and promoting the artistic value and cultural heritage of the Imperial Theatre Supervisor.
In short, although the imperial opera supervisor no longer exists in real life, its spirit and artistic style have always played an important role in the development and inheritance of Chinese opera art. The research and protection of the imperial opera supervisor can not only excavate more historical and cultural resources, but more importantly, lay a solid foundation for the future development and inheritance of Chinese opera art.
The imperial opera supervisor was an indispensable part of the court culture of the Ming Dynasty, and its historical evolution, organizational structure, responsibilities, performance forms, actor selection and training, artistic characteristics and influence, etc., all had a profound impact on the development and inheritance of Chinese opera art.
epilogue
In the performance of the royal theater supervisor, the actors showed the audience a beautiful artistic picture through exquisite skills and performances. The artistic style and spirit of the imperial opera supervisor have always influenced the development and inheritance of Chinese opera art. Even after the decline of the imperial opera supervisor, the art of opera still played an important role in the lives of Chinese people.
With the passage of time and the development of society, the imperial opera supervisor has gradually disappeared in real life, but as an important part of Chinese opera art, its spirit and artistic style have been continued in the development and inheritance of Chinese opera art. For the research and protection of the imperial opera supervisor, not only can more historical and cultural resources be excavated, but more importantly, it will lay a solid foundation for the future development and inheritance of Chinese opera art.
In modern society, the value and significance of the royal theater supervisor is more profound. In the context of cultural diversity, as a representative of Chinese opera art, the imperial opera supervisor can not only show the world China's cultural heritage and spiritual connotation, but also convey the cultural confidence and pride of the Chinese nation on a global scale.
Therefore, we should attach great importance to the research and protection of the Royal Drama Supervisor, so that this precious cultural heritage can be continued and more widely disseminated. At the same time, we must also realize that the Royal Opera Prison represents not only an art form, but also an important part of the traditional culture of the Chinese nation and a precious wealth of our nation.
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