Maoist model theatre : the semiotics of gender and sexuality in the Chinese Cultural Revolution (1966-1976)

List of Tables . . xi
List of Illustrations . . xiii
Acknowledgements . . xxi
List of Abbreviations . . xxiii

Chapter One Introduction: Gender and the Model Works . . 1
The Cultural Revolution and the Yangbanxi . . 1
Origins of the Yangbanxi . . 2
Ideological Foundations of the Yangbanxi . . 7
Chinese Language Scholarship on the Yangbanxi . . 11
English Language Scholarship on the Yangbanxi . . 13
Research on Gender in the Cultural Revolution . . 15
On the Masculinisation of Women and the Erasure of Femininity . . 17
Semiotics of the Theatre as a Tool for Gender Analysis of the Yangbanxi . . 23
Story Synopses:
The Red Lantern (Hong dengji) . . 31
Shajiabang . . 34

Chapter Two Role Assignment and Gender: Resetting the Paradigms . . 39
The Role Distribution of the Central Heroic Characters . . 40
Linguistic Systems . . 46
Props . . 57
Kinesics: Facial Mime, Gesture, Movement . . 66
Music: Vocal Techniques . . 67
Makeup, Hairstyles and Costumes . . 69
Subverting Tradition Through Radicalized Conservatism . . 72
Concluding Remarks . . 74
Story Synopses:
Taking Tiger Mountain by Strategy (Zhi qu weihu shan) . . 77
Raid on White Tiger Regiment (Qixi Baihutuan) . . 81

Chapter Three Costume in the Yangbanxi: Gendering the Revolutionary Body . . 85
Fashion Theory and the Yangbanxi: Some Theoretical Issues . . 85
Bodies and Faces . . 87
Hair and Female Beauty . . 90
Costume . . 92
Costume Fabrics and Designs . . 102
Concluding Remarks . . 111
Story Synopses:
On the Docks (Haigang) . . 113
The Red Detachment of Women (Hongse niangzi jun) . . 116

Chapter Four Gender and the Kinesics of Yangbanxi Ballet . . 119
The Classical Ballet Tradition . . 120
The Yangbanxi Ballets . . 121
Gender in Dance Performance: a Methodology for Analysis . . 123
Yangbanxi Ballet Kinetic Analysis . . 125
Roles and Individual Dance Movements . . 128
Interactive Dance Movement . . 131
On Bodies and Sensuality . . 134
Concluding Remarks . . 137
Story Synopses:
The White-haired Girl (Baimao nu) . . 141
Song of the Dragon River (Long jiang song) . . 144

Chapter Five Feminising Leadership in Song of the Dragon River . . 149
The Creation of Song of the Dragon River . . 150
Major Characters and the Plot of Song of the Dragon River . . 151
Semiotic Systems and Codes for Analysis . . 152
Femininity, Masculinity and Leadership in Maoist Culture . . 153
Hairstyle and Costume . . 160
Verbal Linguistic Systems . . 162
Gender Differences in Relationship Management . . 165
Non-Verbal Language Systems . . 170
Props . . 173
Sexuality, Motherhood and Female Leadership in a Masculine Environment . . 175
Conclusions: Female Leadership and the Yangbanxi . . 179
Story Synopses:
Azalea Mountain (Dujuan shan) . . 183
Fighting on the Plains (Pingyuan zuozhan) . . 187

Chapter Six The Yangbanxi Heroine and the Historical Tradition of the Chinese Woman Warrior . . 191
The Woman Warrior in Chinese Historical Records and Traditional Culture . . 192
Mulan as a Model for Women in the Twentieth Century . . 196
Gender, Sexuality and the Woman Warrior . . 198
Women Warriors of the Yangbanxi . . 199
The Cultural Model and Gendered Audience Response . . 210
Story Synopses:
Boulder Bay (Panshi wan) . . 215
Ode to Yimeng (Yimeng song)—ballet
Red Cloud Ridge (Hong yungang) or Red Sister (Hong sao)—Beijing Opera . . 219
Sons and Daughters of the Grasslands (Caoyuan er nu) . . 221

Chapter Seven Gendering the Counter-Revolution: The Feminisation of Villainy . . 223
Symbolic Gendering through Yin-Yang Symbolism . . 225
Cultural Attitudes to Homosexuality in Chinese Culture . . 232
Negative Stereotypes of Homosexual Males in Theatre and Film . . 233
Visual and Aural (Ef )feminisation of the Counter-Revolution . . 234
Hair . . 237
Vocal Feminisation . . 239
Costume . . 239
Kinesics and Proxemics . . 242
The Gendering of Personal Qualities of the Yangbanxi Villains . . 246
Conclusions . . 255

Chapter Eight The Yangbanxi and Gender Identities in Post-Maoist China . . 259

Bibliography . . 267
Yangbanxi Filmography . . 277
Index . . 279