A Study on the History of the Drama Movement in the Jin-Cha-Ji Border Region
Mengxing Guo 1 Mengxia Wang 2
1 Shandong Open University, 250014, Jinan, China
2 Zhejiang University of Technology, 310014, Hangzhou, China
Abstract
This article reconstructs the historical trajectory of the drama movement in the Jin‑Cha‑Ji Border Region by examining its political genesis, cultural ecology, and revolutionary literary practice. It traces the movement’s evolution across three phases, its emergence alongside the founding of the border region (1937–1938), rapid diversification during the stalemate stage of the War of Resistance against Japan (1939–1942), and flourishing under the guidance of the Yan’an cultural line (1943–1945). Particular attention is paid to the proliferation and characteristics of distinct dramatic forms during 1939–1942, including living‑newspaper plays, village dramas, operas, modern spoken drama, and reform experiments in Peking Opera. The study argues that the Jin‑Cha‑Ji drama movement constituted a potent instrument of cultural resistance, an effective vehicle for mass mobilization, and a meaningful pathway for the renewal of traditional Chinese opera.
Keywords
Jin-Cha-Ji drama movement revolutionary culture development process historical significanceReferences
［1］ Che Lulu. A Preliminary Study on the General Situation of Major Literary and Art Groups in the Jin-Cha-Ji Anti-Japanese Base Area[J]. China After-school Education (Second Half), 2010:36-37.
［2］ Hebei Academy of Social Sciences, Archives. Selected Historical Materials of the Jin-Cha-Ji Anti-Japanese Base Area[M]. Hebei People's Publishing House, 1983:157-158.
［3］ Yu Bing. A Study on Literary and Art Societies and Their Music Creation Activities in the Jin-Cha-Ji Anti-Japanese Base Area[D]. Shenyang Conservatory of Music, 2012:74-75.
［4］ Cui Zhiyuan. The Historical Evolution and Cultural Spirit of Hebei Drama in a Century (Part 1)[J]. Big Stage, 2008(4):14-15.
［5］ Jian Xi. The Significance of Hu Ke - Also on the Historical Positioning and Cultural Localization of Liberated Area Drama[J]. Journal of PLA Academy of Arts, 2004:29-30.
［6］ Zhang Jingyan. A Study on the Northwest Field Service Corps[D]. Shanxi Normal University, 2012:23.
［7］ Zhang Zhizhong. Some Thoughts on the Cultural Construction of Anti-Japanese Democratic Base Areas[J]. Academic Journal of Jinyang, 2010(4):122-123.
［8］ Jia Jichuan. A True Record of the Atmosphere of War - On the Drama in the Jin-Cha-Ji Border Region[J]. Journal of Southwest Minzu University (Humanities and Social Sciences Edition), 2015(1):198-203.
［9］ Cai Zie. A Summary of Drama Repertoires in Jin-Cha-Ji[M]. China Literature and History Publishing House, 2001:32-33.
［10］ Du Dianfeng. Brilliant Performances in the Theatrical Battlefield - An Overview of Hebei Modern Drama Creation during the Anti-Japanese War[J]. Big Stage, 2008(9).
［11］ Zhang Xuexin. Marshal Nie Rongzhen and Jin-Cha-Ji Literature and Art[J]. New Cultural Historical Materials, 1994(3):9.
［12］ Zhi Lianzhong. A Study on Operas in North China Liberated Areas during the Anti-Japanese War[D]. Chinese National Academy of Arts, 2012:9-11.
Volume: 1, Issue 1, 2025
Publication History
Version of Record online:
18 Sep 2025
Manuscript accepted:
16 Sep 2025
Manuscript revised:
07 Sep 2025
Manuscript received:
21 Jul 2025
Published in Global Humanities and Social Sciences, Vol. 1, No. 1, 2025