China's "Great Leap Forward" of 1958-1961 was a time of official rejoicing over the achievements of Communism, but it was also a time of immense suffering. Growing dissent among intellectuals stimulated creativity as writers sought to express both their hope for the success of the revolution and their dissatisfaction with the Party leadership and policies.
But the uneasy political climate and the state's control over literature prevented writers from directly addressing the compelling problems of the time. Rather, they resorted to a variety of sophisticated and time-honored forms for airing their grievances, including the historical drama. Rudolf Wagner examines three of these plays written and performed between 1958 and 1963 in an effort to decode their hidden political and cultural meanings. He also provides a broad survey of the politics of the historical drama in China, suggesting further avenues of inquiry into the relationship between literature and the state.
- ISBN10 0585110751
- ISBN13 9780585110752
- Publish Date December 1990 (first published 5 June 1990)
- Publish Status Unknown
- Publish Country US
- Imprint University of California Press
- Format eBook
- Language English