角色与现实:1850年—1950年美国戏剧舞台上的华人形象

Role and Reality: Chinese Stage Images in American Dramas in the Years of 1850-1950

美国华裔戏剧的历史发展与华裔在美国的社会地位密切相关。华裔在不同历史时期的舞台形象,从一个方面反映了华裔的社会地位。从19世纪中期华人移民美国开始到20世纪中期的近一百年期间,在美国的华裔舞台形象经历了智力上被幼儿化、外貌上被妖魔化、文化上被另类化的负面化的过程。这些形象广泛见诸于美国社会。匡正华裔刻板形象的努力是促成美国华裔戏剧产生与发展的重要因素。因此,对这些负面形象进行研究是十分必要的,有助于从历史的视角了解美国华裔戏剧的产生和发展。文章通过对不同历史阶段的华裔舞台形象进行梳理和阐释,说明华裔舞台形象的负面化与20世纪70年代崛起的华裔戏剧的相关性,并说明戏剧舞台不仅是华裔的表演平台,也是他们实现自己政治和文化诉求的重要平台。

The historical development of Chinese American drama in the United States is closely related to Chinese Americans＇social status. Different stage images reflected different social statuses in different historical periods. During the last one hundred years （ from the middle of the nineteenth century to the middle of the twen- tieth century）, Chinese American stage images went through some negative processes, from the infantilization of their intelligence to the demonization of their appearances and the alternative of their cultures. All of these nega- tive Chinese American stage images could be widely found in American society. Correcting the Chinese Ameri- can stage stereotypes is an important factor to make Chinese American drama produce and develop, so it＇ s neces- sary to do research on these negative images, which will help us realize the emergence and development of Chi- nese American drama from the perspective of the history. This paper analyses and explains some Chinese Ameri- can stage images in different historical stages, and states that there are some relationship between the negative Chinese American stage images and the rising Chinese American dramas in the 1970＇s, and that the stage is not only a show platform for American Chinese, but also an important platform for them to realize their political and cultural aspirations.