The Modernization of Traditional Chinese Opera and a Local Perspective of Local Operas: A Case Study of the Research on the Yisu Art Troupe by Li Youjun and Guo Hongjun

Wang Miao＊

Nanjing University

Abstract: From both historical and artistic points of view, Qinqiang Opera can be considered a significant genre outside the realms of Peking Opera and Kunqu Opera.The research on Qinqiang Opera has long been a focal point in the research on local operas with particular emphasis from a local perspective of the Yisu Art Troupe, a key and hot topic in the studies of Qinqiang Opera.Taking the Yisu Art Troupe as a case study to scrutinize and address the intricacies within the process of modernization of traditional Chinese opera proved to be beneficial.Since the 20th century, studies on the Yisu Art Troupe have evolved from scattered and impressionistic self-narratives into systematic and theoretical academic research.In the new century, scholars, such as Xin Xuefeng, Li Youjun, and Guo Hongjun, have been especially diligent with studies in this field.As Xin Xuefeng is relatively unknown due to his emphasis on traditional opera music, Li Youjun and Guo Hongjun have gradually emerged as important contemporary scholars in the study of the Yisu Art Troupe.Guo and Li not only further theorize the study of the Yisu Art Troupe but also conduct in-depth and meticulous studies on the nature of the Yisu Art Troupe, the establishment of the director-centered mode in Qinqiang Opera, the social function, and the playwriting of the Yisu Art Troupe by examining and reflecting it within the broader context of the modernization of traditional Chinese opera in the 20th century.

Keywords: modernization of traditional Chinese opera, Li Youjun, Guo Hongjun, the Yisu Art Troupe research,local operas

Introduction

The modernization of traditional Chinese opera and the localization of drama①First formally introduced by Zhang Geng in 1939, and after continuous explication and affirmation by many scholars, the concept of “l(fā)ocalization of drama and modernization of traditional Chinese opera” has gradually become a consensus in the academic community, directing the development path of Chinese theater.,the two major themes in Chinese theatrical studies since the 20th century, have persistently interwoven, propelling Chinese theater to become richer and more profound.The diverse and vibrant theatrical theories, from ancient to contemporary, both domestic and foreign, have not only expanded the dimensions of the theatrical theories but also enriched the depth and breadth of the development of Chinese theater.However, the dubious relationship between the modernization of traditional Chinese opera and the preservation of traditional Chinese opera heritage has led to a phase-wise suspension and interruption of the modernization of traditional Chinese opera.The myriad viewpoints on modernization have posed significant and far-reaching challenges to the path of modernization of traditional Chinese opera.The dual themes of “returning to traditional Chinese opera” and “modernizing traditional Chinese opera,” on one hand, encapsulate the varying missions assigned to Chinese opera across different eras, and on the other hand, embody the theoretical perplexities and practical rifts between tradition and modernity.Undoubtedly, in the 20th century characterized by national crises, social transformation, and the “new” evolution of theatrical arts, the modernization of traditional Chinese opera stands as a prominent thread in the development of Chinese theater.

A review of existing research reveals that the research on the modernization of traditional Chinese opera has transitioned from a macroscopic approach to a microscopic one, encompassing both Peking Opera and local operas.Although the modernization of local operas, such as Qinqiang Opera, Sichuan Opera, Pingju Opera, and Yueju Opera, did not lag behind that of Peking Opera, the academic community consistently focused its attention on the more influential Peking Opera.As Zhang Geng pointed out, “Previous reformations of traditional Chinese opera referred only to Peking Opera.Many local operas were never noticed.However, the characteristics of these local operas truly represent the people themselves” (Zhang, 1939, p.33).The examination of the transformation and development of local operas from a modern perspective was not fully started until the 1980s? when the academic environment became stable and permissive.In other words, understanding how local operas enter the discourse of Chinese theatrical history (dramatic history) and how they establish legitimacy and showcase artistic features in the 20th-century theatrical history constitutes the core and the theme of such research.

The study of the Yisu Art Troupe provides an exemplary template for the exploration of local operas within the research on the modernization of traditional Chinese opera.First, the establishment and development of the Yisu Art Troupe coincided with social transformations, offering the academic community a physically tangible presence like a living fossil and providing more possibilities and convenience.Second, during specific historical periods, the Yisu Art Troupe comprehensively embodied the principles and ideologies of the modernization and improvement of traditional Chinese opera.The fusion and exploration of theory and practice by the Yisu Art Troupe highlights the value and significance of its successful experiences.Third, the vast playwriting team in the Yisu Art Troupe, along with the preservation of script samples and relevant materials, ensures the feasibility of sustained research.

In 2021, Li Youjun, an associate professor at the School of Literature, Northwest University, published “Modernization Transformation of Xi’an Yisu Art Troupe and Qinqiang Opera (1912-1949)” based on his doctoral dissertation.The following year, Guo Hongjun, an associate professor at the Shanghai Theatre Academy, published his Ph.D.dissertation “A New Discussion on Shaanxi Yisu Art Troupe (1912-1949).” These two works have bestowed upon the Yisu Art Troupe research a broader perspective and new theoretical heights.Simultaneously, these comparable works prompt profound reflections.Both works, comprehensively grasping and studying the Yisu Art Troupe from a macroscopic approach, possess inter-textual significance as “competing works with the same theme.” Consequently, a comparative study of these two works, one preceding the other, serves to accentuate the crucial significance of the Yisu Art Troupe in Chinese theatrical history.

The Research Perspectives

Research on the Yisu Art Troupe

The study of the Yisu Art Troupe has long been a hot topic in the research on opera troupes, modernization of traditional Chinese opera, and Qinqiang Opera.It is also an integral part of the probe into the history of Chinese theater and Qinqiang Opera.A search on CNKI (the China National Knowledge Infrastructure) using the keyword “the Yisu Art Troupe” yielded 635 academic articles (after 1949), with the earliest relevant articles dating back to 1959.The volume of articles peaked in 1982 (33 articles), 2012(56 articles), and 2017 (44 articles).Notably, these three periods coincide with the 70th,100th, and 105th anniversaries of the Yisu Art Troupe’s establishment, suggesting that commemorative events often stimulate an intensive publication of related articles.There are 250 articles with the Yisu Art Troupe as the primary topic and 312 as the secondary topic.Nine periodicals have published more than 10 articles, respectively, withContemporary Theater(295 articles),Chinese Theater(29 articles),The World of Music(24 articles),Journal of National Academy of Chinese Theater Arts(16 articles),Shanghai Theater(12 articles), andTraditional Chinese Drama Research(11 articles) showing significant interest in research on the Yisu Art Troupe.Scholars such as Xin Xuefeng(30 articles), Li Youjun (10 articles), and Guo Hongjun (nine articles) have focused their research on the Yisu Art Troupe, earning them the reputation of “experts” in the studies of the Yisu Art Troupe.A total of 32 articles have received funding from sources such as the National Social Science Fund of China, National Art Disciplinary Planning, China Postdoctoral Science Foundation, and the Humanities and Social Sciences Program of the Ministry of Education.A search for “the Yisu Art Troupe” in the “Index of National News Papers and Journals” (before 1949) revealed 66 documents.Over 40 of them are relevant to the Yisu Art Troupe and are rich in historical value.

Guo Hongjun and Li Youjun have thoroughly and systematically reviewed and summarized the existing studies on the Yisu Art Troupe in their works, rendering it redundant to further elaborate in this paper.It is evident that Xin Xuefeng, Guo Hongjun,and Li Youjun represent the backbone of current academic research on the Yisu Art Troupe.Given the noticeable generational differences in academic periodization between Xin Xuefeng and the latter two scholars, this paper aims to discuss the recent noteworthy works by Li and Guo.

The key difference between Li and Guo’s research lies in Li’s emphasis on the modernization of traditional Chinese opera in his thesis.His work predominantly explores the exposition of operatic literature and thought, favoring a macroscopic grasp and review of history.Within the framework of the modernization of national Chinese opera,Li’s research discusses the challenging journey of modernizing Qinqiang Opera in the first half of the 20th century.This not only accumulates valuable experiences but also integrates the research on the Yisu Art Troupe into the broader context of modernizing traditional Chinese opera.Guo, leveraging his strengths in meticulous examination and profound exploration, concentrated on the explication of playwriting and directing theories.Following the core stage principles, he delved into subtle aspects such as the troupe’s nature, actor training, and tax levies.Both scholars injected fresh vitality into the research on the modernization of local operas in the 20th century.On the one hand,building on the foundation laid by previous scholars, such as Wang Shaoyou, Li Jingci,Jiao Wenbin, Wang Zhengqiang, and Su Yusheng, they brought modern academic norms to the study of Qinqiang Opera by employing traditional philological methods while incorporating Western academic dialectical and logical reasoning approaches.On the other hand, by deepening the research into case studies of local operas, they significantly broadened the scope and enriched the research on the modernization of traditional Chinese opera, making substantial contributions to the modernization construction of Chinese theater.

As Li Youjun notes, while there is no shortage of scholars in the research on the Yisu Art Troupe, comprehensive, systematic, and rational studies are exceedingly rare.Previous studies often exhibit characteristics of following old routines, self-indulgence,and exaggeration, leading the research on the Yisu Art Troupe and Qinqiang Opera into an irrational, closed, and stagnant plight trapped in an inextricable bottleneck.If we extend our focus to the nationwide research on local operas, we will find such phenomena and problems quite common, hindering the expansion and deepening of research on other local operas.Take the writing of the history of Qinqiang Opera as an example.Guo Fuping has critically analyzed multiple works of the histories of Qinqiang Opera and pointed out the deficiencies in a particular scholar’s work, stating that “it is a typical example of current research on the history of Qinqiang Opera, showing confusion and lack of vision and awareness of problems in academic writing and analysis.This indicates that there is still ample room for improvement in the research and writing of the 20th-century history of Qinqiang Opera” (Guo, 2019, pp.170–176).Similar issues are not uncommon in studies of Qinqiang Opera and the Yisu Art Troupe in the 20th century.Li and Guo have, to a certain extent, avoided such problems in their works.On the one hand, their documentbased research attitudes ensure the credibility of their studies.On the other hand, their broad perspectives and convergence of new ideas elevate the level and quality of research on Qinqiang Opera.

Li’s Work: A Perspective of Modernization

The macroscopic grasp of the Yisu Art Troupe from 1912 to 1949, especially positioning it within the framework of the modernization of traditional Chinese opera in the 20th century, highlights the significance and value of the Yisu Art Troupe in Chinese theatrical history.The essence of the modernization of traditional Chinese opera lies in“fully preserving the most beautiful aspects of traditional Chinese opera over thousands of years while improving the clichéd techniques, making them alive” (Zhang, 1939).For the modernization of Qinqiang Opera, the Yisu Art Troupe’s task is to preserve its strengths and infuse new vitality into techniques.

Li Youjun’s research focuses on the modernization of traditional Chinese opera,covering five main aspects related to the Yisu Art Troupe: the spirit of the time and modern consciousness, the modernity in the Yisu Art Troupe’s production of Qinqiang Opera, script creation and stage performance in the Yisu Art Troupe, the acceptance of the Yisu Art Troupe’s artistic style from the perspective of Qinqiang Opera’s modern transformation, and the spirit and culture of the Yisu Art Troupe.The study highlights the distinct characteristics of the Yisu Art Troupe during the modern transformation of traditional Chinese opera.On one hand, it explains its close connection with the era and society, placing it within the context of the second wave of the reformation of opera and highlighting the enlightening and edifying role of Qinqiang Opera.On the other hand, it explores its relationship with the transformation of the artistic style of Qinqiang Opera,emphasizing its artistic awareness and market-oriented exploration.In other words, after accepting the artistic style of the Yisu Art Troupe, Qinqiang Opera gradually shifted from rough and bold to delicate and gentle.This stylistic transformation, superficially seen as the dissemination and acceptance of the style of the Yisu Art Troupe, has fundamentally resulted from the birth of modern theatrical arts, with the style of the Yisu Art Troupe being the best representation of the art of modern drama.It aligns with the new expectations and imagination of modern and urban audiences for traditional Chinese opera.Therefore, the entire book emphasizes the impact of the Yisu Art Troupe on the“change” and “transformation” of Qinqiang Opera, comprehensively explaining the core propositions of why the transformation occurred, how it happened, and what the results were.

The highlights of the book include the initial exploration of the Yisu Art Troupe’s plays in terms of female gender consciousness, the preliminary probe into the director-centered mode in Qinqiang Opera, a case study of the classic play “Three Drops of Blood,” and the exploration of the duality of the Yisu Art Troupe’s nature: enlightenment and edification,art and market.This aligns with Guo’s discussion in his work about whether the Yisu Art Troupe was an educational institution or a performance institution.Guo argued that the Yisu Art Troupe initially focused on being an educational institution and shifted its focus to marketization in the mid–1920s.The examination of the Yisu Art Troupe’s interactions with external intellectuals provides new insights and answers to the core question of how the Yisu Art Troupe has stood for over a hundred years without falling.The dissemination of the Yisu Art Troupe’s Qinqiang Opera overlooks the Qinqiang Opera style of the Yisu Art Troupe, which dissolved the significant influence of Qinqiang Opera in western Shaanxi, Tongzhou Bangzi Opera, and the Gansu School of Qinqiang Opera, causing the latter styles exit the historical stage and establishing the style of the Yisu Art Troupe as the representation of Qinqiang Opera in Northwestern China.

Guo’s Work: A Periodization Study

Guo Hongjun’s work,A New Discussion on Shaanxi Yisu Art Troupe(1912–1949), is essentially a periodization study of the Yisu Art Troupe, emphasizing the review and discernment of historical facts while incorporating theoretical exposition.On the one hand, it resolves several core issues that have long troubled the Yisu Art Troupe studies.

The work delves into eight aspects, covering issues related to the establishment,periodization, the nature of the Yisu Art Troupe, goals and pathways for actor training,management and operation of the troupe, the study of playwriting, the staging of operas, and improvements in stage art.It comprehensively covers various aspects of the development and artistic production of the Yisu Art Troupe before 1949.The highlights of Guo’s work include the periodization of the Yisu Art Troupe, the playwriting and staging of operas and the theory of “repackaging old content into new forms,” the probe into the director-centered mode in Qinqiang Opera, and the concrete transformation of the Yisu Art Troupe’s Qinqiang Opera style.Guo’s study of the nature of the Yisu Art Troupe shares similarities with Li’s inquiry into the duality of the Yisu Art Troupe but focuses on different aspects.While Li’s work emphasizes the grasp of dual characteristics: enlightenment and edification, art and market, Guo’s work concentrates on the specific natures of different troupes, engaging in a dialectical discussion about political propaganda institutions, educational institutions, and performance institutions.It emphasizes the Yisu Art Troupe’s different positionings in different periods to adapt to the changing times.If Li’s work focuses on the Yisu Art Troupe’s production,dissemination, communication, and spirit, Guo’s work centers on the ontological study of the Yisu Art Troupe’s origin, evolution, playwriting, actor training, troupe management,and stage improvement.Both works are equally important, and their different perspectives and research directions open new dimensions for the research on the Yisu Art Troupe.

A Comparative Study of Guo’s Work and Li’s Work

A Study of the Nature of the Yisu Art Troupe

Due to its unique historical background and purpose of establishment, the Yisu Art Troupe has never been a troupe in the conventional sense.As Guo Hancheng states,“the Yisu Art Troupe is a theatrical group that integrates opera performances and actor training,” rather than a migrant “money-making” troupe.The novelty of the Yisu Art Troupe lies in its new theatrical perspective, shared political objectives, and social ideals(Guo, 1982).

According to Guo’s work, the Yisu Art Troupe, from its inception, “declared itself fundamentally different from ordinary Qinqiang Opera troupes” (Guo, 2022, p.52).Naturally imbued with the characteristics and elements of enlightenment education from the late Qing Dynasty (1644–1911), the Yisu Art Troupe consistently emphasizes its nature as an educational institution.The audience has always perceived it as an “opera performance troupe,” different from migrant troupes like the Sanyi Art Troupe and Zhengsu Art Troupe only in terms of styles and plays.This cognitive dissonance led to the Yisu Art Troupe’s later anxiety about its identity and continuous adjustments to its positioning.In subsequent performance practices, as Guo pointed out using the example of stamp duty, the Yisu Art Troupe exhibited anxiety and instability in constructing its own identity, gradually transitioning into a commercial performance institution.After the 1930s, the identity of the Yisu Art Troupe as a performance institution was strengthened and recognized.“The Yisu Art Troupe, weathering 20 years of trials, adhered to its mission of ‘complementing social education and changing out-of-date customs’ while adjusting and adapting to the demands of society, audience, and market, continuously exploring paths suitable for the development of troupes.These adjustments, based on social and political changes, as well as the need for survival and development of the troupe, were the choice made by a commercial troupe in the face of changing times and the performance market” (Ibid., p.78).Guo believes that the nature of the Yisu Art Troupe underwent a transformation from an educational institution to a performance institution.This transformation is rooted in the profound understanding of the relationship between survival and social relations in the development of the Yisu Art Troupe and the different requirements placed on it during the changing times.The affirmation of the identity of a commercial performance institution renders the Yisu Art Troupe’s clearer viewpoints, and its artistic style becomes more distinct, no longer entangled in the multiple considerations of the market, art, and politics.The most significant contribution of Guo’s work lies in unveiling the long-denied “identity as a commercial performance institution” of the Yisu Art Troupe in the academic community whether out of respect or self-importance.However, objective facts demonstrate that, after the 1930s, the Yisu Art Troupe evolved into a performance institution, a fact that cannot be denied.

Li argued in his work that the Yisu Art Troupe’s Qinqiang Opera has undergone a “deepening transformation” in three dimensions, namely three “dualities”: “the convergence of modern market laws and artistic laws, the simultaneous pursuit of enlightenment ideals and aesthetics in Qinqiang Opera, and the intertextuality between Qinqiang Opera theory and stage practice” (Li, 2021, p.284).It is evident that Li captures the complex and ambiguous nature of the Yisu Art Troupe.However, he acknowledged the Yisu Art Troupe’s efforts to reconcile and balance various aspects such as education,art, and the market.While this macroscopic approach may not precisely clarify the Yisu Art Troupe’s positioning and nature in different periods, it distills the achievements of the Yisu Art Troupe in multiple aspects, affirming its efforts in balancing market and art.Although Yisu Art Troupe was forced to value the market, seeking more economic benefits for survival and development, the Yisu Art Troupe never abandoned its founding mission of “complementing social education and changing out-of-date customs.” The core issue in the troupe management and production of plays was how to win market acceptance while maintaining a high level of artistic excellence.Li attributed this to“the Yisu Art Troupe’s ability to maintain an independent artistic production concept in the context of the reformation of opera in modern China.While other troupes focused on the ideological and enlightening aspects of content in their opera reformation, and the aesthetic performance (especially stage performance) of traditional Chinese opera increasingly yielded to the content, the artists of the Yisu Art Troupe placed the aesthetic performance of Qinqiang Opera art on an equally important level as the content and themes of the play, which is not easy” (Li, 2021, p.298).

Guo and Li, from different perspectives, affirmed the identity and nature of the Yisu Art Troupe, exploring the duality of artistic transformation.They have fundamentally clarified several basic issues entwined with the Yisu Art Troupe, significantly advancing the research on the Yisu Art Troupe.

The Director-Centered Mode in Qinqiang Opera

The “director-centered mode” originated in German drama in the late 19th century.Fu Jin believes that the establishment of the director-centered mode in Chinese traditional operas was delayed until the reformation of opera.“Despite some introduction of directorcentered mode in the early 20th century and the practical implementation of the directorcentered mode by Hong Shen and Chen Dabei in the field of modern drama, as well as attempts by some famous traditional Chinese opera actors to introduce the directorcentered mode (the playwright-director-centered mode), the widespread establishment of the director-centered mode in traditional Chinese opera troupes began with the Opera Reformation Movement” (Fu, 2020, pp.88-101).The exploration and construction of the director-centered mode in traditional Chinese opera during the 1920s remained an unresolved issue in the traditional opera community.As a representative of new-style troupes, the Yisu Art Troupe made some exploration and opened new avenues for this subject.It is well-known that during its founding period (1912–1915), the Yisu Art Troupe successively hired five coaches, including Li Yunting (Head Coach), Chen Yunong,Dang Ganting, Liu Lijie, and Tang Hucheng.Except for Tang Hucheng (a martial arts coach in Peking Opera), all were renowned artists of Qinqiang Opera.The formation of the coaching team effectively shifted the traditional apprentice-style teaching towards a modern instructional approach, revealing the germination of the director-centered mode.In 1931, the involvement of Feng Zhimo, who was proficient in modern drama, Peking Opera theory and performance, marked the official establishment of the director-centered mode in the Yisu Art Troupe.

Guo suggested in his work that the introduction of the director-centered mode in the Yisu Art Troupe was motivated partly by the transition from literary text to stage performance, which required experienced traditional opera artists for effective presentation.Another crucial aspect was dealing with young actors around the age of ten, for whom guidance from experienced artists was essential for a smooth transition from textual content to stage performance.More importantly, it depended on the Yisu Art Troupe’s edification intent “to clothe education with an exterior, allowing reformed traditional Chinese opera to edify the public while maintaining a certain level of aesthetics and entertainment.” The Yisu Art Troupe’s coaches made active explorations in aspects of the application of traditional opera structures, mastery of acting skills and styles, and the improvement of stage aesthetics.They continuously solidified the results of these explorations, playing a decisive role in shaping the Yisu Art Troupe’s style.This explains why the Yisu Art Troupe was “ahead of” most traditional opera troupes at the time in exploring and constructing the director-centered mode.In comparison to the actor training and performing modes of traditional troupes①In the traditional Chinese opera community, there have long been old-type opera schools, dedicated to training actors and performance troupes.However, a new type of troupe emerged later, which focused on both actor training and commercial performances, such as the Yisu Art Troupe, Fuliancheng Art Troupe,and Sanyi Art Troupe.These troupes not only established a distinctive performing style but also played a significant role in promoting the inheritance and development of traditional Chinese opera., the Yisu Art Troupe’s emphasis on the intent of “complementing social education” ensured that educational functions remained one of its primary responsibilities.

Li and Guo’s perspectives are essentially aligned, stating, “The establishment of the director-centered mode in the Yisu Art Troupe pioneered the standardization and institutionalization of artistic production in Qinqiang Opera, highlighted the Yisu Art Troupe’s fundamental adherence to the artistic principles of Qinqiang Opera, and realized the aesthetic transformation of new Qinqiang Opera plays from textural content to stage performance” (Li, 2021, p.171).However, while Li’s work focuses on the transformation from text to stage, Guo’s work emphasizes the fulfillment of edification responsibilities.

Many scholars skeptical of the director-centered mode in the Yisu Art Troupe often negate its existence, particularly by the example of “star actor-centered mode,” the opposite of the director-centered mode.However, the dominance of the “star actorcentered mode” in the Yisu Art Troupe’s performances was not evident, especially in the early stages when actors were not fully mature.Under these conditions, coaches played a crucial role in determining the success or failure of stage performances, given the Yisu Art Troupe’s high regard for and dependence on literary scripts.This led to the formation of an artistic production mechanism where playwrights and directors shared equal importance.However, influenced by modern media and the traditional practice of adulating star actors, when wordings such as “Six Great Artists of the Yisu Art Troupe,”“Liu Zhensu in western China is equivalent to Mei Lanfang in eastern China,” and “Wang Tianmin, an equivalent of Mei Lanfang in Xi’an” frequently appeared in newspapers,the mode gradually shifted towards a stable tripartite structure involving playwrights,directors, and star actors.This development aligned more with the artistic creation norms of traditional Chinese opera, compared to the emphasis on literary scripts during the period of the Opera Reformation Movement and the “star actor-centered mode” in Peking Opera.It is evident that the Yisu Art Troupe’s “playwright-director-centered mode”provided an alternative path and mode for the modernization of traditional Chinese opera,offering a new perspective on reevaluating the modernization of traditional Chinese opera in the 20th century.The issue of the director-centered mode in traditional Chinese opera remains inconclusive in existing research.Li and Guo’s studies have merely opened a new avenue, leaving room for scholars to delve deeper and conduct more detailed and meticulous research in the future.

Enlightenment or Edification: The Emphasis and Focus of Yisu Art Troup’s Functions

In contrast to the acknowledgment of the educational function in traditional Chinese literary and theatrical theories, the rationality of enlightenment that emerged after the Western Renaissance became a crucial element in the pursuit of modernity in Western drama.Hu Xingliang pointed out that during the period of the reformation of opera,traditional advocacy of edification through literature and the viewpoints of modern enlightenment were interwoven, forming the theoretical construction of the social functions of the reformation of opera (Hu, 1995).

Both Guo and Li recognize the educational, edifying, and enlightening functions of the Yisu Art Troupe, but their emphases and focuses differ.Guo affirmed the Yisu Art Troupe’s educational and edifying functions, stating, “The Yisu Art Troupe, as a new type of Qinqiang Opera troupe and a popular educational institution, is dedicated to integrating education with opera, harnessing the edifying function of traditional Chinese opera” (Guo, 2022, p.30).However, he placed greater emphasis on his recognition of the Yisu Art Troupe as a “renowned Qinqiang Opera troupe in the northwest of China and even nationwide” (Guo, 2022.p.35).It was evident that Guo evaluated the Yisu Art Troupe’s social function from the perspective of the artistic production and performance of Qinqiang Opera, ultimately categorizing it as “edification” in the traditional sense, that is, combining education with entertainment.This research, which centers on the artistic production and performance of Qinqiang Opera, is essentially a process of “demystifying”the study of the Yisu Art Troupe.The demystified Yisu Art Troupe seems to become the basis for the claim by some scholars that it “failed to transform out-of-date customs,instead being transformed by them.” Despite returning to its positioning and nature as a performance troupe, the Yisu Art Troupe did not simply follow the mainstream.In various aspects such as playwriting and staging, stage presentation and purification, innovation in Qinqiang Opera music, and the construction of a new spectator-performer relationship,The Yisu Art Troupe made bold and beneficial attempts, achieving remarkable results.If we examine the reformation of opera and improvement modes of the Yisu Art Troupe and Shaanxi Opera Research Institute in the broader context of the modernization of Qinqiang Opera in the 20th century, we can see an internal consistency.Therefore, criticism of the Yisu Art Troupe appears arbitrary and hasty.

Li’s work leans more towards elucidating the “enlightenment” value and significance of the Yisu Art Troupe’s Qinqiang Opera.Deeply influenced by scholars such as Zhang Geng and Dong Jian on the modernization of traditional Chinese opera and theatrical enlightenment, Li placed particular emphasis and interpretation on chapters such as“New Women: Gender Consciousness in the Yisu Art Troupe’s Qinqiang Opera Plays,”“Enlightenment and Aesthetic Acceptance of People in Central Shaanxi Plain,” and“Simultaneous Pursuit of Enlightenment Ideals and Aesthetics.” While the chapter “New Women” may still be influenced by Western academic categories and remain a surfacelevel interpretation, the chapter “Enlightenment and Aesthetic Acceptance of People in Central Shaanxi Plain” reveals the author’s ambition.On the one hand, it expands the focus to the positive impact of Qinqiang Opera on the enlightenment of the people in Central Shaanxi Plain.On the other hand, it touches upon the close connection between the traditional Central Shaanxi Plain School of Confucianism and modern Qinqiang Opera.Due to constraints in length, Li did not delve into this subject in detail.However,from a historical perspective, beyond the revolutionary identity of the Yisu Art Troupe’s founders and participants, they still belong to the category of “new learning from old knowledge” in the Central Shaanxi Plain School of Confucianism, as figures like Fan Zidong, Sun Renyu, and Li Tongxuan have studied in schools like Weijing Academy and Chongshi Academy.Therefore, the profound influence of the Central Shaanxi Plain School of Confucianism on the Yisu Art Troupe and their joint enlightenment of the people in Central Shaanxi Plain seems logical and holds significant academic value.Whether it is enlightenment or edification reflects scholars’ diverse considerations on different theoretical perspectives, with no clear distinction between right and wrong.

Other Possibilities in Research

The diverse theories, academic backgrounds, interests, and value orientations among scholars influence the paths and directions of their academic research, showcasing the richness and openness of academic study.However, this diversity can also lead to “negative effects,” as any research inherently possesses limitations and imperfections.Li and Guo’s works are no exception.

Upon reviewing both their works, the primary regret lies in the limited exploration of the Yisu Art Troupe’s impact on the development path of Qinqiang Opera and the negative repercussions of the Yisu Art Troupe’s bold reforms of stage performance on Qinqiang Opera, as well as the lack of concrete research on the Yisu Art Troupe’s style.Despite the consensus within the Qinqiang Opera community regarding “the Yisu Art Troupe’s style” featuring a large number of unique plays, actors, and performances,research on this specific style is still insufficient.Questions such as the definition of the Yisu Art Troupe’s style, its connotations and extensions, its relationship with the modern transformation of Qinqiang Opera, and its negative effects still await resolution.The formation of the Yisu Art Troupe’s style coincided with the modernization of Qinqiang Opera.Initially, it absorbed the strengths of arts like Peking Opera and modern drama,shifting the traditional mode dominated by main female roles, the painted-face roles,and old male roles to a mode centered around young male roles and young female roles.This marked a radical reform of the traditional stage, aligning it with the requirements of modern theaters and contemporary aesthetic preferences, steering Qinqiang Opera performances towards delicacy, elegance, and refinement.Additionally, the Yisu Art Troupe wrote numerous plays infused with new ideas and educational awareness,elevating the status of operatic literature and emphasizing the importance of scripts.The high level of artistic self-awareness gradually endowed Qinqiang Opera with a holistic concept of drama and aesthetics.Finally, the Yisu Art Troupe placed significant emphasis on the social functions of opera, including enlightenment, edification, and entertainment.Furthermore, innovation in Qinqiang Opera music remains a crucial component of the Yisu Art Troupe’s style.The case study of “Three Drops of Blood” in Li’s work and the research on Sun Renyu in Guo’s work both underscore the importance of playwriting and scriptwriting in the Yisu Art Troupe.

The Yisu Art Troupe’s style ultimately represents the style of Qinqiang Opera in central Shaanxi—Xi’an Luan Tan.This Qinqiang Opera style matured in the 1930s and rapidly spread across the northwest of China through two channels: the departure of the Yisu Art Troupe students and the troupe’s performances in other regions, influencing its sister genres.On one hand, traditional schools such as Qinqiang Opera in eastern Shaanxi,Qinqiang Opera in western Shaanxi, and Gansu Qinqiang Opera swiftly succumbed in their confrontations with the Yisu Art Troupe, soon fading from the historical stage.Consequently, Qinqiang Opera in central Shaanxi became the unquestionable dominant force in the realm of Qinqiang Opera with the Yisu Art Troupe emerging as a staunch and pioneering vanguard.On the other hand, the modernization of Qinqiang Opera, i.e., the formation of the Yisu Art Troupe’s style and the establishment of the dominant position of the Qinqiang Opera in central Shaanxi, brought about many issues.These include the narrowing of Qinqiang Opera plays and styles, an aesthetic trend toward Peking Opera,a significant loss of plays, the extinction of unique performing and singing techniques,and the exit of distinctive performance modes from the stage.With the publication ofDiscerning Traditional Chinese Opera, the most immediate impact was the substantial reduction of plays featuring the painted-face roles, old male roles, and main female roles, to the point where, following Li Tongxuan’s vision, there might be no plays left to perform.Furthermore, there was a transformation in the Qinqiang Opera style, eradicating the traditionally dynamic, intense, and vigorous elements under intentional intervention.Additionally, this transformation manifested in the Yisu Art Troupe as a disdain for and underdevelopment of old male roles, the painted-face roles, and the main female roles.

Conclusion

It has been 80 years since Zhang Geng first proposed the concept of “modernization of traditional Chinese opera.” However, apart from a few successful plays and scripts, there is still considerable room for improvement compared to the goals of our predecessors.This deficiency is evident not only in the realm of creation and production but also in theoretical research.Overall, the theoretical depth and breadth of the modernization of traditional Chinese opera remain insufficient, especially the exposition of theoretical history, a subject yet to be fully explored.Guo and Li’s works on the Yisu Art Troupe, a living fossil of the reformation of opera, not only provide a local path for the research on the modernization of traditional Chinese opera but also offer a reference for the modern transformation of local operas.They first affirmed the multiple identities of the Yisu Art Troupe as a performance group and a social education institution, reversing the narrow definition of the Yisu Art Troupe as merely a “troupe” in previous studies.They pointed out the Yisu Art Troupe’s “anxiety” about its positioning in terms of public welfare and commercial identity.Moreover, they explicitly stated that the Yisu Art Troupe was one of the earliest troupes in China to implement the director-centered mode.In the macroscopic understanding of many details such as the founding time of the Yisu Art Troupe, its interactions with outsiders, and the playwrights, they advanced further and deeper than their predecessors.

Due to the constraints of the times, the reformation of opera of Traditional Chinese Opera in the late Qing Dynasty were not thorough and faced significant limitations.It is necessary to “evaluate the achievements and shortcomings of the Yisu Art Troupe with a historical perspective” (Guo, 1982).It is not appropriate to either negate the achievements of the Yisu Art Troupe or overlook its shortcomings in opera reformation from the status quo of opera development.Therefore, a historical and objective perspective on the Yisu Art Troupe is essential to academically clarify many unresolved issues.