The Evolution of Beijing Opera

Abstract

In trying to discover what has become of Beijing Opera in China today, I have learned that jingju is not the static, rigid art form I first thought. In fact, Beijing Opera is a dynamic art form that has continued to be shaped by political, cultural, ideological, technological and economic factors since its conception. By writing this Senior Individualized Project, I hoped to gain a deep understanding of the evolution of Beijing Opera, beginning with its origins, conventions, and formative years as well as an understanding of how the art form has continued to evolve during two distinct time periods: the 1949 founding of the People’s Republic of China through 1980, and 1980 to the present day. Throughout the process of writing this SIP, I strove to integrate my foundational knowledge of Chinese culture and history and the personal experiences I gained from living abroad with research about the development of Beijing Opera over time. By examining its past and the course of its evolution, I hoped to gain a better understanding of the current state of Beijing Opera in terms of the changes to the conventions of the art form and its perception in modern day society.