Chinese Shadow Theatre: History, Popular Religion, and Women Warriors

366 Pages·2007·3.222 MB·English

by  Fan Pen Li Chen

chinese shadow theatre
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Chinese Shadow Theatre
History, Popular Religion,
and Women Warriors
fan pen chen
McGill-Queen’s University Press
Montreal & Kingston London Ithaca
• •
© McGill-Queen’s University Press 2007
isbn 978-0-7735-3197-0
Legal deposit second quarter 2007
Bibliothèque nationale du Québec
Printed in Canada on acid-free paper that is 100% ancient forest free
(100% post-consumer recycled), processed chlorine free.
This book has been published with the help of a grant from the San Diego
Chinese Historical Museum.
McGill-Queen’s University Press acknowledges the support of the Canada
Council for the Arts for our publishing program. We also acknowledge the
financial support of the Government of Canada through the Book Publishing
Industry Development Program (bpidp) for our publishing activities.
Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication
Chen, Fan Pen
Chinese shadow theatre: history, popular religion,
and women warriors / Fan Pen Chen.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
isbn 978-0-7735-3197-0
1.Shadow shows – China – History. 2.Puppet plays, Chinese – History.
3.Religion in drama – China – History. 4.Women in popular culture –
China – History. 5.Chinese drama – Translations into English. I.Title.
pn1979.s5c44 2007 791.5'30951 c2006-904885-1
This book was typeset by Interscript in 10/12 Sabon.
Dedicated to my supportive family and friends
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Contents
Dynasties ix
Acknowledgments xi
Illustrations xiii
part one the history and culture
of chinese shadow theatre
1 An Introduction to Shadow Theatre 3
2 History and Myths 14
3 The Role of Religion 60
4 Women Warriors in Shadow Plays 104
part two three chinese shadow scripts
“Three Opening Blessings” 三出頭 151
The Eighteen Levels of Hell 十八層地獄 162
The Yellow River Magic Formation 黃河陣 172
appendices
1 Suzi 俗字: Non-Standard Orthography 199
2 Collections of Shadow Playscripts 207
3 Main Plays of the Various Chinese Shadow Traditions 218
4 Shadow Plays Featuring Women Warriors 227
Notes 235
Bibliography 295
Index 333
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Dynasties
Shang ca.1766–1122 b.c.
Western Zhou ca.1122–770 b.c.
Eastern Zhou: 770–221 b.c.
Spring and Autumn Period 722–481 b.c.
Warring States Period 403–221 b.c.
Qin 221–206 b.c.
Western Han 206 b.c.–a.d. 25
Eastern Han 25–220
Three Kingdoms Period 220–265
Western Jin 265–317
Eastern Jin 317–420
Northern and Southern Dynasties: 420–589
Liu Song 420–479
Qi 470–502
Liang 502–557
Chen 557–589
Sui 589–618
Tang 618–907
Five Dynasties 907–960
Northern Song 960–1127
Liao Dynasty 907–1126
Jin Dynasty 1115–1260
Southern Song 1127–1280
Yuan 1280–1368
Ming 1368–1644
Qing 1644–1911
Republic of China 1911–
People’s Republic of China 1949–