从野蛮到文明——汉唐长安动物戏的发展演变

Evolution of Animal Plays from Savagery to Civilization during the Han and Tang Dynasties

动物戏是杂技的一种,表演难度很高,具有极强的艺术性、观赏性和娱乐性。汉唐长安的动物戏有其明显的发展演变过程,差异较大。汉代的动物戏种类较多,大致包括马戏、斗兽、驯兽、斗禽、驯禽以及弄蛇等,其中,有关驯兽和驯禽的记载相对较少,而较为原始的斗兽则颇为盛行,虽然比较刺激,但却显得血腥残酷。经过几百年的发展演变,唐代长安的动物戏已发生了很大变化,血腥残酷的斗兽表演鲜有所闻,而驯兽、驯禽却至为繁荣,成为唐代长安动物戏的主流。

Animal play belongs to acrobatics,very difficult to perform,yet,full of artistry,entertainment and amusement.Animal play in Chang＇an during the Han and Tang dynasties had evolved remarkably and quite differently.In the Han dynasty,there used to be many kinds of animal play,mainly including acrobatics,animal fighting and training,game-bird fighting and training as well as snake playing,etc.Among them,records about animal training and game-bird training were not popular at all,while the primitive animal fighting was quite popular,rather bloody and cruel though very exciting.Over many centuries＇ development,great changes had taken place about the animal play in Chang＇an in the Tang dynasty,the blood-shedding animal fighting was seldom seen and heard of,whereas the animal training and game-bird training were on the rise,having become the mainstream of animal play in Chang＇an in the Tang dynasty.