ASCL 62.02 Traditional Performance in China: Past and Present
From folksong collection in Confucian times to current efforts at preserving Intangible Cultural Heritage, this course begins by introducing traditional ideas about the folk and folk culture in China, and how the relationship between folk and elite has changed over time, with special emphasis on the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Through the examination of local traditions of storytelling, epic singing, folksongs, ritual, and local drama from various time periods and geographical areas, students will gain a deeper, more nuanced understanding of the diversity of regional and ethnic expressive forms within China and how they continue to develop over time through the present day. During this course, you will also become familiar with important theories from folklore studies and learn to apply them in analyzing performances and texts—skills that can be fruitfully extended to both personal and professional areas of your life in the future.
Instructor
Gibbs