再探西藏面具艺术活态生存的本质

A Re-exploration on the Reasons for the Existence of Tibetan Masks

古老的面具艺术形态在现代语境下正处于整体衰落的境地,许多地区悠久的面具表演传统都已经荡然无存。然而西藏面具的寺院和民间两大社会系统,至今依旧保留了活态的艺术造型与较完整的表演艺术。究其本质原因,主要有三方面,即:面具一直存活于一个长期处于相对封闭环境中的独立社会,面具艺术因西藏"神性社会"的宗教传统而得到繁荣,以及民间社会对面具表演形态与多元世俗功能的文化认同。

The ancient art of mask is declining in the modern context.In many areas of Tibet this traditional mask performance has been lost.However,in the two social systems of Tibetan masks,the monasteries and civil society,the complete form of masks and its art of performance are still retained.As for the reasons of this,there are three main aspects,namely,(1) the mask can survive in a relatively isolated society of Tibet;(2) it can prosper due to the divine society of Tibet;and(3) the civil society has the cultural identities on the forms of mask performance and its multiple secular functions.