Mao's Cultural Army: Drama Troupes in China's Rural Revolution (Cambridge Studies in the History of the People's Republic of China)

Charting Their Training, Travels, And Performances, This Innovative Study Explores The Role Of The Artists That Roamed The Chinese Countryside In Support Of Mao's Communist Revolution. Demare Traces The Development Of Mao's 'cultural Army' From Its Genesis In Red Army Propaganda Teams To Its Full Development As A Largely Civilian Force Composed Of Amateur And Professional Drama Troupes In The Early Years Of The Prc. Drawing From Memoirs, Artistic Handbooks, And Rare Archival Sources, Mao's Cultural Army Uncovers The Arduous And Complex Process Of Creating Revolutionary Dramas That Would Appeal To China's All-important Rural Audiences. The Communists Strived For A Disciplined Cultural Army To Promote Party Policies, But Audiences Often Shunned Modern And Didactic Shows, And Instead Clamoured For Traditional Works. Demare Illustrates How Drama Troupes, Caught Between The Party And Their Audiences, Did Their Best To Resist The Ever Growing Reach Of The Prc State-- Preface -- Introduction: Performing Mao's Revolution -- The Revolution Will Be Dramatized: Red Drama Troupes -- Acting Against Japan: Drama Troupes In North -- Playing Soldiers And Peasants: Civil War And Agrarian Reform -- Staging Rural Revolution: Land Reform Operas -- State Agents And Local Actors: Cultural Work In The Early Prc -- Peasants On Stage: Amateur Actors In Socialist China -- Tradition In Conflict: Professional Drama Troupes And The Prc State -- Conclusion. Brian James Demare, Tulane University. Includes Biblical References (pages 243-248) And Index. Cover 1 Half-title 3 Series information 4 Title page 5 Copyright information 6 Contents 7 Illustrations 8 Preface and acknowledgements 9 Abbreviations for archives, serials, and collections 13 Introduction: Performing Mao's revolution 15 1 The revolution will be dramatized: Red Drama troupes 39 The first stage: dramatic performances in the Jiangxi Soviet 42 The Red Army Academy Social Club 45 Drama troupes in the Jiangxi Soviet 47 Drama education in the Jiangxi Soviet 48 Drama on the eve of the Long March 49 Drama troupes on the Long March 51 Traveling with Mao's Party Central: the Soldiers' Dramatic Society (Zhanshi jushe) 52 Traveling with the "Fake" Party Central: the Forward Drama Troupe (Qianjin jutuan) 56 The bandit's players: the Combat Dramatic Society (Zhandou jushe) 59 Conclusion: the sprouts of revolutionary drama 63 2 Acting against Japan: Drama troupes in North China 66 A "Big Drama Troupe": the Taihang Mountains Drama Troupe (Taihangshan jutuan) 70 A professional troupe: the Xiangyuan Rural Drama Troupe 82 An amateur example: the High Street Village Drama Troupe (Gaojiecun jutuan) 87 Conclusion: nineteen days of drama 94 3 Playing soldiers and peasants: Civil War and agrarian reform 97 Military revolution: propaganda teams and drama troupes at war 100 Civilian rural revolution: drama troupes in land reform 113 Urban revolution: drama troupes and the urban takeover 118 Conclusion: revolutionary drama in 1949 124 4 Staging rural revolution: Land reform operas 127 The party school paradigm: the creation of The White-Haired Girl 129 The PLA's land reform opera: the creation of Liu Hulan 133 Penned by a party intellectual: the creation of Red Leaf River 136 Character archetypes in land reform operas 139 Character archetype 1: the abused peasant girl 139 Character archetype 2: the emasculated young peasant male 141 Character archetype 3: helpless or absent peasant elders 142 Character archetype 4: the evil landlord 144 Character archetype 5: the revolutionary woman 146 Never captive: audience autonomy and land reform operas 148 Conclusion: creating narratives and capturing audiences 155 5 State agents and local actors: Cultural work in the early PRC 158 Cultural work at the center: Beiping, 1949 161 In the field: wielding cultural weapons during PRC land reform 169 Villagers playing peasants: amateur actors onstage 175 Amateur creation in the PRC 177 Amateur performance in the PRC 179 Amateur finances in the PRC 187 Conclusion: cultural workers in the early PRC 189 6 Peasants on stage: Amateur actors in socialist China 193 Cultural infrastructure in Hubei 195 Traditional art and artists in Hubei 198 Cultural workers and cultural work teams 199 The model drama troupe of Caodian Village 203 The Rural Amateur Drama Troupe Campaign, 1950-1951 206 Amateur troupes and amateur performance in the countryside 209 The rectification of rural drama troupes, 1951-1953 215 Conclusion: mass culture, mass politics 220 7 Tradition in conflict: Professional drama troupes and the PRC state 223 Cultural organization in Shanxi at the dawn of the PRC 226 County cultural centers and work teams 227 Caught between audiences and the state: private drama troupes in Shanxi 230 Producing and policing a professional cultural army 233 Rectification in the early 1950s 236 Working with the state: benefits and pitfalls 237 Modern dramas, traditional dramas 238 Taikou and ticket sales 242 Control and autonomy: transferring troupes, actors for hire, and factional divides 243 "Formalism": spectacle and special effects in private productions 244 The limits of professional resistance 245 Conclusion: professional drama troupes in the PRC 247 Conclusion 252 Conclusion 252 Select bibliography 257 Index 263 Charting their training, travels, and performances, this innovative study explores the role of the artists that roamed the Chinese countryside in support of Mao's communist revolution. DeMare traces the development of Mao's 'cultural army' from its genesis in Red Army propaganda teams to its full development as a largely civilian force composed of amateur and professional drama troupes in the early years of the People's Republic of China (PRC). Drawing from memoirs, artistic handbooks, and rare archival sources, Mao's Cultural Army uncovers the arduous and complex process of creating revolutionary dramas that would appeal to China's all-important rural audiences. The Communists strived for a disciplined cultural army to promote party policies, but audiences often shunned modern and didactic shows, and instead clamoured for traditional works. DeMare illustrates how drama troupes, caught between the party and their audiences, did their best to resist the ever growing reach of the PRC state. "Charting their training, travels, and performances, this innovative study explores the role of the artists that roamed the Chinese countryside in support of Mao's communist revolution. DeMare traces the development of Mao's 'cultural army' from its genesis in Red Army propaganda teams to its full development as a largely civilian force composed of amateur and professional drama troupes in the early years of the PRC. Drawing from memoirs, artistic handbooks, and rare archival sources, Mao's Cultural Army uncovers the arduous and complex process of creating revolutionary dramas that would appeal to China's all-important rural audiences. The Communists strived for a disciplined cultural army to promote party policies, but audiences often shunned modern and didactic shows, and instead clamoured for traditional works. DeMare illustrates how drama troupes, caught between the party and their audiences, did their best to resist the ever growing reach of the PRC state"-- Provided by publisher "Charting their training, travels, and performances, this innovative study explores the role of the artists that roamed the Chinese countryside in support of Mao Zedong's communist revolution. DeMare traces the development of Mao's 'cultural army' from its genesis in Red Army propaganda teams to its full development as a largely civilian force composed of amateur and professional drama troupes in the early years of the PRC. Drawing from memoirs, artistic handbooks, and rare archival sources, Mao's Cultural Army uncovers the arduous and complex process of creating revolutionary dramas that would appeal to China's all-important rural audiences. The Communists strived for a disciplined cultural army to promote party policies, but audiences often shunned modern and didactic shows, and instead clamored for traditional works. DeMare illustrates how drama troupes, caught between the party and their audiences, did their best to resist the ever growing reach of the PRC state"--Page 4 of cover