THESIS
2015
iii leaves, iv-x, 149 pages : illustrations ; 30 cm
Abstract
This thesis examines the culture of amusement in Shanghai during the early republican
period with a focus on the amusement hall New World and its associated newspapers New
World Daily and Yaofeng Rikan, explaining the role that this cultural form played across
political and cultural transitions. It addresses questions such as: how did the emerging
amusement halls create a new geography of entertainment and reshape certain performance
and spectatorial patterns? How did the institutional periodical known as youxichang bao
(amusement hall newspaper) carry on the practice and discourse of youxi (play) which had
become dominant since late Qing? How did the amusement halls, as an exhibition venue,
integrate with the new medium of cinema and specifically popularise the habit of
movie-...[
Read more ]
This thesis examines the culture of amusement in Shanghai during the early republican
period with a focus on the amusement hall New World and its associated newspapers New
World Daily and Yaofeng Rikan, explaining the role that this cultural form played across
political and cultural transitions. It addresses questions such as: how did the emerging
amusement halls create a new geography of entertainment and reshape certain performance
and spectatorial patterns? How did the institutional periodical known as youxichang bao
(amusement hall newspaper) carry on the practice and discourse of youxi (play) which had
become dominant since late Qing? How did the amusement halls, as an exhibition venue,
integrate with the new medium of cinema and specifically popularise the habit of
movie-going and promote domestic production? To what extent did the relationship between
women and places of leisure change, alongside the shifting gender hierarchy? And what
policies did the amusement halls adopt in order to adapt to such changes? Last but not least,
how did an amusement hall like New World engage with the popular movement of 1919? And, seeing the May Fourth as an indicator of a significant break from persisting cultural
orders, what was the position of amusement, and particularly of New World, during the
movement and in its aftermath?
These questions are situated within recent reflections on the May Fourth paradigm as
well as re-evaluations of popular literature and culture. Through the approach of periodical
studies, which emphasises not only on an extensive reading of related materials but also the
temporality and specificity of these materials, I hope to bring to light the overlooked
conjunction between the 'May Fourth' and popular culture in influencing soci-cultural
developments in early republican Shanghai.
Post a Comment