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Professor LIANG Yan: The Influence and Global Reception of Chinese Traditional Theatre (2025/10/16)

Professor Liang's presentation delineated the initial translation and dissemination of Yuan zaju and Ming-Qing chuangi texts across Europe from the mid-18th to the late 19th century. She posited that the divergent documentation of Chinese opera by Christian missionaries revealed underlying differences in religious and cultural viewpoints. Professor Liang further elucidated the pivotal role of French Sinologists in the translation and introduction of Chinese theatrical works to the West. Her analysis also encompassed the international tours of Mei Lanfang, examining the significant critical reception and recognition his Peking opera performances garnered in Japan, the United States, and the Soviet Union.

Professor Liang emphasized that the intercultural journey of Chinese opera represents not merely the propagation of an art form, but a crucial process of mutual interpretation and cultural exchange between China and the West. She concluded by advocating for a more comprehensive, macro-cultural perspective in scholarly research to fully appreciate Chinese opera's multifaceted significance on the global stage.

In his concluding remarks, Professor Chen Zhi commended the lecture for its expansive scope and intellectual rigor. He noted that Professor Liang's analysis compellingly framed Chinese opera as a vital medium for Sino-foreign cultural dialogue, offering the audience a broader civilizational context for considering the art form's worldwide influence.

With the generous support from the Eurasia Foundation (from Asia), the Jao Tsung-I Academy of Sinology will organize a new lecture series “Encounters in the Old World, East and West: From a Transdisciplinary Perspective” from October 2025 to April 2026. The series will feature 15 lectures, focusing on early interaction, connectivity, and relationships across time and space between European and Asian civilizations.