花部戏曲的兴起与传奇杂剧的创变

The Springing up of Varied Opera and the Innovation of Chuanqi and Zaju

清乾隆末年开始特别是道咸年间以降,在花部戏曲兴起并逐渐取代昆曲而占据主导地位的戏剧史背景下,传奇杂剧面临着空前严峻的考验:一方面由于不同戏曲剧种之间的必然相互借鉴与影响,一方面由于传统戏曲谋求生存之路的需要,传奇杂剧进入了从不自觉到自觉、由局部到整体的创新变革时期。这种创变的结果是复杂且值得深思的:既促进了传奇杂剧的着力创新与大胆变革,使之获得了新的生命力,迎来了传奇杂剧的最后一次繁荣;又从戏曲观念和文体形态等方面改变了传奇杂剧的内部构成,在创变的同时消解了其自身的特性,也就促进了它的消亡。花部戏曲的兴起和传奇杂剧的创变这一互动的戏剧史历程,留下了值得深长思之的历史经验。

Since the Reign of Qianlong, especially since the Reign of Daoguang and Xianfeng, Varied Opera (Hua Bu) rose and gradually took the leading role in the history of Chinese opera, which had once been held by Kun opera. In this context, Chuanqi and Zaju were faced with an unprecedented severe test. On the one hand, different types of opera influenced and referenced each other inevitably; on the other hand, traditional opera needed to seek a way to survive. In consequence, the evolvement of Chuanqi and Zaju entered an era of innovation, which was from unconscious and partial change to conscious and overall change. The outcome of this innovation was complex and called for deep thought: the acceleration of the innovation brought vitality and a last boom to Chuanqi and Z aju. At the same time, it also changed the inner constitution of Chuanqi and Zaju in basic concept and literary form; the innovation itself eliminated the characteristics of Chuanqi and Zaju-which means the accelerating of its decline. A thought-provoking experience was left to us by this interaction, which had tak en place in the history of Chinese opera between Varied Opera (Hua Bu)’s rising and Chuanqi and Zaju’s innovation.