Policy and Theatre: The Rise and Fall of Traditional Folk Opera Performed during the Spring Festival

Abstract

Since the maturity of Chinese traditional drama between the 12th and 13th centuries, it has been continuously shaped and constrained by the ruling class. Folk drama, particularly performances during the Spring Festival, has long served as a cultural carrier with broad public appeal—rooted in folklore, vivid in reflecting reality, and thus easily co-opted for political purposes. This study draws on local chronicles, historical archives, and previously underutilized materials such as the Henan Chronicles Collection to systematically examine the trajectory of traditional folk drama from the Yuan Dynasty to the Republic of China. It analyzes how shifting political environments—including censorship, cultural policies, and ritual standardization—shaped the production, performance, and reception of folk drama, and identifies political control as the core "crux" of its decline. Special attention is paid to the integration of Spring Festival rituals with folk drama, and a case study of Henan Province during the Republic of China (focusing on figures like Feng Yuxiang and movements such as drama reform) illustrates the dynamic interplay between state power and artistic expression. The findings reveal that while political intervention can suppress or instrumentalize drama in the short term, the art form’s inherent cultural resilience persists. However, the subordination of drama to politics or commerce in modern times has pushed it to the brink of endangerment, highlighting the need to safeguard its artistic independence.