中国古代剧场看楼研究

Research on the Special Viewing Place in Ancient Chinese Theatres

大约在汉魏时期出现了看棚、看楼。看楼在明清时期的剧场中成为专门为妇女儿童设立的观剧场所,其设立的主要目的是为了更好地实施成年男女分隔观剧的制度习俗,以便符合“男女有别”的礼教规定。男女有别属于古礼,其产生有客观历史原因。明清时期的看楼发轫于神庙剧场,后影响到茶园、酒楼等场所,其功能主要有:一、遵从礼法中男女有别之原则;二、扩充观戏场地,避免拥挤;三、遮风避雨。中西剧场史上的观众席均有等级区分,也有个别妇女专座,而为妇女儿童专设的看楼则为中国独有,这成为世界古代剧场史上一道独特的风景。

The theatre viewing sheds and viewing buildings appeared around the Han and Wei dynasties;they became the viewing place specially set up for women and children in the Ming and Qing Dynasties.The main purpose of the special viewing place was to better implement the institutional custom of separating men and women in theatre,so as to comply with the etiquette regulations of“differentiation between men and women”.The distinction between men and women is an ancient etiquette,and its emergence has objective historical reasons.During the Ming and Qing Dynasties,the special viewing place first originated in temple theatres,and later affected the architecture of tea houses,restaurants and other theatre places.Its main functions are:(1)to comply with the principle of distinction between men and women according to etiquette and law;(2)to expand theatre viewing venues to avoid crowding;(3)to provide shelter from wind and rain.In the history of both Chinese and Western theatres,the auditoriums were divided into different levels,and there were also special seats for women.The viewing place specifically designed for women and children is unique to China,and is a unique sight in the global history of ancient theatres.