Brechtian Alienation and Chinese Theater Tradition

Forms of Artistic Synthesis

Bibliographic Data

ID22149374
AuthorsJiawen Xu (0000-0002-5398-0394, corresponding author)
Year2026
Issue6
Pages78-91
Publication date2026-06-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueКультура и искусство (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2454-0625 • E-ISSN: 2454-0625
PublisherAurora Group, s.r.o (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.7256/2454-0625.2026.6.80177
OpenAlexW7165126260
LanguageEN
References cited14

The article is dedicated to the study of the interaction between Brecht's effect of alienation and Chinese stage tradition in the theatre of the late 20th to early 21st century. The subject of the research is the forms of artistic synthesis between epic theatre and traditional Chinese stage poetics, which is based on conditionality, sign gesture, musicality, and demonstrativeness of actor action. Special attention is given to how Brecht's theory has been reinterpreted in post-reform Chinese theatre and incorporated into local directorial practices. The article analyzes the features of Brecht's reception in the People’s Republic of China, as well as the works of Lin Zhaohua and Meng Jinghui as representatives of various models of stage synthesis. Additionally, the role of alienation is examined as a tool for intercultural translation, enabling the connection of Western directorial theory, Chinese stage memory, and contemporary forms of avant-garde theatricality. The methodological foundation of the research consists of historical-cultural, comparative-typological, and semiotic approaches, as well as intercultural analysis applied to modern Chinese theatrical practices. The scientific novelty of the article lies in the interpretation of Brecht's alienation as a mechanism of intercultural artistic translation rather than as a form of direct Western influence. It is established that the structural closeness of epic theatre and traditional Chinese stage has facilitated the organic inclusion of Brechtian aesthetics into the Chinese theatrical process. It is shown that in post-reform Chinese theatre, the effect of alienation is used not only as an anti-illusionist technique but also as a means of rethinking cultural memory and stage conditionality. The analysis of the directorial practices of Lin Zhaohua and Meng Jinghui revealed various models of synthesis: from intellectual-epic distance to pop-avant-garde montage and multimedia deconstruction. The conclusion is made that the Chinese theatre of the late 20th to early 21st century has formed an independent model of intercultural theatricality, in which Brecht's theory has been adapted to local theatrical tradition and new artistic tasks

Alienation · Closeness · EPIC · Intercultural communication · Interculturalism · Semiotics · Arts, Culture, and Music Studies · Cultural Studies and Interdisciplinary Research · Theatre and Performance Studies

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