China is a large country with a time-honored tradition of dramatic art, which has undergone about 800 years of evolution. More than 300 dramatic forms are still thriving throughout the country.
Modern Chinese drama originated from the west. Compared with China's long-standing indigenous dramatic art, it is merely a latecomer. It is an art form introduced from the west when Chinese society evolved towards a modern society following the decline of feudalism and the forced opening up of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) under the military threat from the western powers. After constant absorption and remolding by Chinese artists, this art form has gone through a creative transformation.
Modern Chinese drama differs from traditional Chinese drama in artistic form. Instead of telling stories by means of singing and dancing such as traditional drama, it aims to create true visual effects on the stage mainly through dialogue, physical activity and stage settings that are borrowed from the west. At the same time, it has established an intrinsic and close relationship, in terms of artistic spirit, with traditional Chinese drama and the entire Chinese literature and art fields through long-term artistic practice.
Today, after nearly one hundred years of development, modern Chinese drama has grown up as a major dramatic art form with national influence. In addition, Chinese drama has transformed an imported art form into a Chinese dramatic type endowed with modernity and national characteristics, thus constituting an organic part of Chinese literature and art as a whole.
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