[中][Eng]我對中國古典舞的認識 My Understanding of Chinese Classical Dance - On Chinese Classical Dance
Translated by Irene Cheng，Polished by Paolo Moselli
（原文刊於2006及2007年的第八冊第三及五期及第九冊第一期
Originally published in dance journal/hk 8-3, 8-5, 9-1 in 2006 and 2007）
中國古典舞的由來
說到「中國古典舞」，首先要澄清一個問題：我們所說的「中國古典舞」只是一個稱謂，一個約定俗成的叫法，「中國古典舞」所表現的題材和內容，並不一定是古代的。
中國古典舞初創於五十年代初，當時北京舞蹈學校（現北京舞蹈學院）剛剛成立不久，芭蕾舞的教學工作基本是在前蘇聯專家的指導和親自授課下進行的，從而培養了一大批中國第一代優秀的芭蕾舞藝術家。而在中國古典舞的教學方面，卻完全是一片空白。因此，一批有識之士開始著手中國古典舞學科的創建工作，但能從史料中找到有關舞蹈的記載並不多，唯一可汲取、借鑒的就是有著幾百年歷史的戲曲和武術了。
北京舞蹈學院現址The current Beijing Dance Academy
現在我們回顧那段歷史，不能不承認初創者的遠見卓識，因為中國戲曲之財富多彩，可吸收、借鑒的東西之多，是無庸置疑的。而戲曲本身就包含著大量的舞蹈，那被我們稱之為「戲曲舞蹈」。
這裡，我想引用唐滿城教授有關戲曲舞蹈轉變成為「純舞」的論述：「戲曲舞蹈繼承了從漢到唐宋這麼長時間的舞蹈文化，又根據自身的需要做了八百年的發展，有著十分豐富的內容。僅管戲曲中沒有純舞，但它又無處不是舞蹈，所有舞蹈都滲透在它的人物和戲劇任務之中，帶有相當大成分的比擬性和解說性。所以我說：戲曲舞蹈是戲劇化的舞蹈，舞蹈化的生活形態。它給了我們一個很好的基礎，但要變成獨立性的純舞，需要我們把它提煉、加工、發展，做一種沙裡淘金的工作。怎樣去做呢？去掉唱和念，把舞蹈原封不動地拿過來行嗎？不行。丟掉戲曲舞蹈的美學規律，想怎麼發展就怎麼發展行嗎？也不行。對於戲曲舞蹈必須做到兩個突破：一個是從戲劇性變成純舞性；第二個是把解說性和比擬性變為抽象性。必須弄清它美在哪裡？發展變化為純舞的時候，決不能丟掉我們民族幾千年來形成的舞蹈美學上審美觀點的既成性。」（《唐滿城舞蹈文集》63-64頁）2
「決不能丟掉我們民族幾千年來形成的舞蹈美學上審美觀點的既成性」，這就給出了在汲取、借鑒和改造時的一個準確定位。正是因為老一輩開拓者有了這樣一個非常明確的認識，中國古典舞才能從無到有地發展到今天。也正是從那時起，李正一、唐滿城、葉寧、楊宗光等老一輩舞蹈工作者，開始了對中國古典舞創建工作的研究和探索。儘管他們對如何將戲曲舞蹈變為「純舞」有著非常明確和清醒的認識，但在這一轉變過程，並不是一蹴而就的。
初創階段的中國古典舞，把戲曲中的「山膀」、「藍花指」、「踢腿」、「涮腰」等許多動作都吸收過來，但戲曲舞蹈的痕跡仍十分明顯。如果我們把當年舞蹈中所使用的「山膀」、「踢腿」等動作，同現在的舞蹈動作做一個比較的話，便不難看出，它們已經產生了質的變化，也就是說，「舞蹈」已不再是「戲曲舞蹈」的模式了。這種「質」的變化，有一個很重要的原因，那就是：我們要培養的是舞蹈演員，而不是戲曲演員，而作為一個舞蹈演員，他們所需要的身體條件、肌肉能力、爆發力以及身體的表現力等等都與戲曲演員有著本質上的區別。3
很明顯，要創建中國古典舞的訓練和表演體系，只照搬戲曲是遠遠不夠的，因為舞蹈本身所需要的諸如基本能力、技術技巧、身體條件等多方面的要求，僅靠戲曲舞蹈是無法解決的。於是，在大量吸收戲曲、武術精華的同時，中國古典舞又向芭蕾舞汲取養分。這是因為：「中國古典舞和芭蕾舞在訓練的目的上有很多的共同點，那就是如何最有成效的使舞蹈演員掌握各種舞姿、控制、旋轉、跳躍等能力。可是我們傳統的技巧動作和風格與芭蕾舞又是不一樣的。因此芭蕾不能代替我們的需要，必須要有了我們自己的訓練體系來解決，但我們認為在形成自己已完成的訓練體系過程中，學習芭蕾的科學方法又是完全必要的。」（《唐滿城舞蹈文集》15、16頁）就這樣，中國古典舞的訓練體系，在大量汲取戲曲、武術與芭蕾之長的基礎上，根據中國古典舞特有的審美情趣和自身發展的需要，在訓練體系中大量增加了對軟度、力度以及「擰」、「傾」、「圓」、「屈」等訓練手段，從而大大豐富了訓練內容及舞蹈語彙，並逐步發展成可以獨立「操作」的訓練體系。而一些在當時有爭論的問題，也被保留下來。所以，前蘇聯專家就曾提醒說：「我所做的只是把我知道的經驗——芭蕾的經驗告訴你們，並且提醒你們在研究中國古典舞教材上應該注意的地方，至於按現在這樣做對不對，還需要在教學實踐中來證明。」（《唐滿城舞蹈文集》16頁）。時至今日，我們回頭看專家的話，仍是十分有意義，有遠見的。
中國古典舞體系的建立，是經過了幾代人的共同努力得來的，是在不斷的探索、失敗、總結、提煉中得來的。幾代人的不懈努力，使中國古典舞發展到今天，它已經具備了屬於自己的鮮明個性和特徵。
中國古典舞的發展及現狀
中國古典舞的發展，在「文化大革命」期間，被擱置了。這不能不說是個遺憾。但是，我們無法改變歷史，也無法推測因此產生的後果。我們只知道，中國古典舞的真正發展，是從八十年代初期開始的。1984年的「首屆全國藝術院校中國舞桃李杯邀請賽」把這一發展更趨完整化。4
現在我們把首屆中國舞「桃李杯」舞蹈比賽，說成是中國古典舞發展史上的一個里程碑，並不過分。因為，正是那一屆的創始者們，把「中國古典舞基本功訓練」，列為比賽內容，在檢驗和參賽選手基本能力和技術、技巧的同時，更把中國古典舞的基本功訓練進一步規範化、學術化、科學化、系統化。比賽中的「規定動作」，不僅具有相當的難度，而且具有很強的風格性和屬性，這就不僅要求參加比賽的選手能夠很好地完成，並要求「組合」的編排者，需具有把握中國古典舞的風格和審美規範的能力。在這些「訓練組合」中，已將芭蕾訓練的痕跡淡化出局。5
在首屆「桃李杯」舞蹈比賽中，一批優秀的舞蹈人才脫穎而出，第一次集中地向人們展示了中國古典舞教學的成果。同時進一步推動了中國古典舞教學的發展。人才需要新鮮的教材，教材為培養人才而產生。對芭蕾舞訓練體系的借鑒，從此產生了質的變化。而這個質的變化根本在於：中國古典舞已經有了屬於它自己的，較為準確的審美定位及特徵。
在審美定位十分明確的前提下，中國古典舞的創作從此也有了飛速的發展。一大批優秀劇目為「首屆全國藝術院校中國舞桃李杯邀請賽」以及此後的各類舞蹈比賽而創作。這之中不乏優秀的作品和優秀編導。
第一届桃李杯 - 古典舞
也許是因為「中國古典舞」這個稱謂的緣故，當時我們所見到的舞蹈大多取材於古代的歷史故事、人物和題材。雙人舞《新婚別》以杜甫的長詩為名；雙人舞《烏江恨》、《金山戰鼓》，而《木蘭歸》則描寫了花木蘭替父從軍這個家喻戶曉的故事。6隨著時代的進步，中國古典舞的創作，不再被局限在古代的題材上。許多年輕的編導，衝破了古代題材的束縛，向新的領域開拓、發展，給中國古典舞賦予了新的內容和時代氣息。大型集體舞《黃河》7，編舞者大膽的想像和準確的中國古典舞語彙的運用，使首演便獲得了成功。而雙人舞《萋萋長亭》8 則擺脫了通過舞蹈講故事的束縛，著意刻化音樂的內涵和人物的情緒，「純舞化」的創作意圖十分明顯。
從五十年代的《弓舞》，到八十年代初的《新婚別》，再到九十年代的《萋萋長亭》，不難看出中國古典舞劇目發展的進程，以及四十年來所產生的巨大變化，同時也能夠非常容易地感受到中國古典舞豐富的內涵和它的審美情趣。如果說創作於七十年代未的《新婚別》，還在刻意地講述一個完整的故事，是一個敘事性的舞蹈，那麼，創作於八十年代的《黃河》和九十年代的《萋萋長亭》等許多作品，則徹底擺脫了「敘事」的束縛，進入了「純舞」的境界，用舞者的身體和舞步，詮釋音樂、表現音樂。這也正是幾代舞蹈工作者所為之奮鬥的目標之一。
有關中國古典舞的爭論和存在的一些問題
有關中國古典舞的爭論，有很大一部分是為著它的稱謂，因此就有人質疑：「中國古典舞是不是應當包括漢、唐等古代的舞蹈？」，「中國古典舞是不是只能反映古代人的生活？」，「中國古典舞的基本功訓練體系是否成立？」等等。
我個人認為，對這些爭論，應當以辦證的關係看待。中國古典舞從嚴格的意義上來講，只是開創者給它起的一個名字。五十年來，它已經成為人們一個約定俗成的叫法，而且也的確有了屬於它自己的審美規範和特徵，並且通過一套較為完整的訓練體系，培養出一批又一批的優秀的中國古典舞人才，並為世界所承認。它不是芭蕾舞、不是現代舞，也不是中國民間舞，那它是什麼？它就是「中國古典舞」。我想這樣解釋，該足夠了。
但如是說，並不否認中國古典舞體系還存在著一些問題。我想它主要集中表現在以下兩個方面:
一是訓練體系中借鑒芭蕾的痕跡仍然存在，這主要是因為，芭蕾舞所需要的「開」、「繃」、「直」，同樣是中國古典舞所需要的，而我們並沒有找到比芭蕾訓練更科學有效的訓練手段來取代。這問題的存在，前面已經提到，實際上也正是中國古典舞在初創階段「因為有爭論而保留」下來的。在中國古典舞基本功訓練課堂上，至今仍有一部分借鑒了芭蕾舞訓練手段，這並不足為奇。因為，我們取他人之長，來補己之短，並沒有什麼錯。嚴格地講，我們借用的是芭蕾訓練的科學性，而在平日的課堂訓練中，我們更多則是圍繞著如何培養一個中國古典舞演員而進行。兩者之間，並沒有根本的矛盾。也不應成為問題。對這一問題存在的不同觀點，不同的作法和爭論，焦點主要集中在：中國古典舞訓練體系是否成立的問題上。但這一爭論，並沒有答案，也很難有一個標準答案，那是因為，一個訓練體系的確立，並不一定要是純而又純的，它完全可以納百家之長。而我認為，真正的答案，或說是關鍵所在，還是要看我們的「產品」如何。恰恰，我們的「產品」是合格的。「因為我們中國古典舞和芭蕾舞在訓練的目的上有很多的共同點，那就是如何最有成效的使舞蹈演員掌握各種舞姿、控制、跳躍等能力。可是我們傳統的技巧動作和風格與芭蕾又是不一樣的，因此芭蕾不能代替我們的需要，必須要有了我們自己的訓練體系來解決，但我們認為在形成自己完整的訓練體系過程中，學習芭蕾的科學方法又是完全必要的。」（《唐滿城舞蹈文集》15、16頁），他一語道出了這兩者之間的辯證關係。
問題之二是：在中國古典舞的創作上，仍時時會被「古典舞」這三個字束住手腳，這就使得一些編舞者的作品，不被承認或招來誹議。而一些雙人舞的作品，又往往會因為帶有芭蕾的痕跡，而引來外國人的批評說：「這不就是芭蕾舞嗎？只是不立足尖而已」。為此，有人想為中國古典舞正名，如:「後現代中國古典舞」、「中國現代古典舞」等等。但如果細想，即便是正了名，又如何？因為「名」雖「正」，但實際存在的一些問題，並沒有得到根本的解決，那又該如何呢？芭蕾舞體系的建立，經過了上百年的歷史變遷，也是在摸索和探討中不斷改進、完善起來的。所以，我認為，還是心平氣和為好。中國古典舞從五十年代發展至今，已經包含了幾代舞蹈工作者的辛若，那麼再過五十年或更長的時間，中國古典舞將會是什麼樣子呢？我相信，它只會是越來越完善，越來越成熟。這之中有一個非常重要的原因，那就是：中國古典舞的審美規範是我們自己的，它只屬於中華民族。
關於「身韻課」
「身韻課」的創立，是中國古典舞發展史上的一個重要里程碑。在呂藝生先生為《唐滿城舞蹈文集》所作的序中，有這樣一段論述，他說：「80年代初，古典舞一方面遭到文化大革命的嚴重破壞，一方面又面臨外來藝術衝擊的浪潮。當時中國古典舞教學和創作正處於一個進退維谷，難於生存的境地。他與李正一老師真正擔起學科帶頭人的重擔，共同在原古典舞身段的基礎上，採用元素提煉的方法，創建了一門嶄新的身韻課。這門課一問世，便引起國內外的巨大反響。人們一下子就看到了它使古典舞從戲曲模式走向舞蹈化，科學化的價值。可以說，它使古典舞獲得了新生，人們仿佛看到了古典舞事業升起了復興的曙光」（《唐滿城舞蹈文集》2頁）。這一評價是相當準確的，它不僅說明「身韻課」對中國古典舞發展的影響，更闡明它在中國古典舞中的重要地位。
「身韻課」在初創的時候，被稱之為「身段」，這也是因循戲曲的叫法。在戲曲中，除最講究的「唱、念、做、打」外，就是「手、眼、身、髮、步」這五大戲曲舞蹈的要素了，「身段」正是戲曲舞蹈的魂，戲曲舞蹈的神韻所在。
當中國古典舞從戲曲中汲取精華的時候，戲曲所講究的「身段」無疑也會被當作對舞蹈有用的東西「拿過來」，但是僅僅「拿過來」顯然不行，因為戲曲舞蹈畢竟不是我們所需要的「純舞」。「身韻課」的創始者們的功績，在於他們對繼承與發展傳統的再認識，在於他們擺脫了對傳統從形式著眼的方法。「我們認識到所謂傳統風格指的是中華民族在歷史長河中積澱和形成的審美總體傾向，而不是一、兩個凝固的動作。因而我們茅塞頓開，從形式上繼承傳統轉向了從提練訓練元素來建立教材的設想。這可以說是一個比較重大的在認識與實踐上的突破。」（《唐滿城舞蹈文集》72頁）。這一重大突破對中國古典舞發展產生了巨大影響，使中國古典舞蹈獲得了新生。
在中國古典舞的初創時期，曾有過把「戲曲舞蹈」認識成為：它就是「中國古典舞」這樣一個階段，儘管當時的這種認識，有很多的局限性，卻又是必經之路。老一輩舞蹈工作者，對中國的戲曲，特別是京劇有著十分深入的瞭解，正因如此，也才有可能對戲曲舞蹈進行深入的研究，這就為「身韻課」的創建，打下了一個良好的基礎。我的老師唐滿城教授，不僅僅是對戲曲有所瞭解，他還是一位非常出色的京劇票友，並有著淵源家學。正是因為有了這樣一批才華出眾，涉獵面非常廣泛的老前輩，中國古典舞才會有今天的發展。
從戲曲中「拿來」，就有了「手型」、「手位」、「腳位」⋯⋯，就有了「雲手」、「晃手」、「小五花」、「中刀花」、「穿掌」等動作。但是，在「拿來」的同時，問題也就產生了。因為，對於戲曲來說，它的「形」是與「唱」「念」「做」「打」並存的，而一旦使這些「形」變成為孤立存在的，它也就失去了這些「形」在戲曲舞蹈中的光彩。而更深一層的問題是：把這些戲曲舞蹈中的「形」，放在中國古典舞中，也難以形成風格，像是單單的一張皮擺放在那裡。同樣從武術中「拿來的」。如：「風火輪」、「擺連腿」、「烏龍盤打」等動作，也存在著同樣的問題。
反思從這開始。吸收進來的東西，必需經過消化，使之成為自己的，才會有真正的發展和真正屬於中國古典舞自己的東西，老一輩舞蹈教育工作者的這一明確認識，正是中國古典舞「身韻課」創立的根本所在。
在那時，李正一、唐滿城等老師就嘗試著編排了一些「舞蹈身韻組合」，並從嘗試中，看到了一個有可能實現、有可能發展的勢頭。但那時還沒有上升到理論上的認識和行動上的進一步深化、提高。直到1980年以後，客觀條件逼著人們必須重新認識繼承和發展的關系。按唐滿城教授的話說是：「認識上最大的突破就是我們認為民族傳統和風格既不是不可知的、虛無的，也不是簡單模擬戲曲或武術能解決問題的⋯⋯。因而我們茅塞頓開，從形式上繼承傳統轉向了從審美性去繼承傳統的思路，從套路上和動作上去整理傳統轉向了從提練訓練元素來建立教材的設想。這可以說是一個比較重大的再認識與實踐上的突破，從而在實踐中找到了按照舞蹈藝術特性去發展傳統而又不失去民族傳統審美特徵的道路」。（《唐滿城舞蹈文集》72頁）。
從「繼承傳統」轉向「從審美性繼承傳統」，從「整理傳統」轉向「提煉訓練元素」，這個轉向，是認識上的一次大飛躍，從此它改變了中國古典舞的屬性，推動了中國古典舞的發展。
從「身段」變為「身韻」，雖只是一字之差，卻足以表明它在質上所發生的變化。從「身段」到「身韻」的變化，正是「戲曲舞蹈」和「舞蹈」二者分家的開始，開始對舞蹈提出了一個「神形兼備」、「內外統一」、「身心並用」的要求，從而徹底擺脫了「戲曲舞蹈」對舞蹈的束縛，展開了中國古典舞一個新的篇章。
僅就這一個「韻」字而言，就有很多可說的。「韻」在舞蹈中是什麼？就是：「神」、就是「呼吸」、就是「點與面的結合」，就是內在的一種表現力，一種「起於心，發於腰、形於體」的表現手法。所謂「起於心」，就是說，任何一個動作都是從「心」領出來的，是發自內心的；而「發於腰」，則是中國古典舞非常關鍵的一個動作要領，這也正是我們在平時訓練中所特別注意的，被我們稱之為「中段」的這一部分；有了「心」動、「腰」領，而最終是由「身體」表現出來。
從「身段」到「身韻」，一個「韻」字的改變，賦予了舞蹈新的內涵，賦予中國古典舞新的生命力和表現力。在從戲曲和武術中大量提取了「元素」的同時，再把它付諸實踐，付諸教學，使其具有實用性、表現性和時代性，那些被提煉出來的「元素」，才有了它們的真正的價值。「元素」不再是孤立的，戲曲中的「身段」在舞蹈中，不再是「一張皮」。「身韻課」的建立和產生，給予中國古典舞新的生命，它從此才真正擺脫了戲曲舞蹈的束縛，讓我們看到了它長足的進步和飛躍的發展。
從我的教學體會來看，身韻課的確有著很高的訓練價值，在豐富了中國古典舞的舞蹈語彙的同時，它還增加了對中國古典舞演員所需要的身體鬆弛、氣息運用等方面的訓練手段。而更為重要的是，它為中國古典舞確定了一個較為準確的審美規範。身韻課在很大的程度上，補充了中國古典舞基本功訓練課程因借鑒芭蕾而遺留下的缺陷和不足。兩者的結合，就構成了中國古典舞訓練體系的獨特風格，這種統一，有著我們前面講過的大歷史背景——從戲曲、武術中汲取精華；有著深厚中國文化底韻所帶給它的審美情趣；也有貼近生活、貼近現代人的時代感。像近些年來出現的一些優秀作品，如《黃河》9、《江河水》、《梁祝》、《木蘭歸》等，無疑都是直接受到了身韻課教學體系所帶給創作者的靈感和創作動機。
北京舞蹈學院古典舞系《黄河》
在身韻課建立、發展的基礎上，中國古典舞教學課堂和舞臺，就變得越來越豐富多彩了。這之中，不能不提到水袖、劍、扇，它們在舞蹈中的廣泛應用，極大地豐富了舞蹈的內容，儘管它來源於戲曲，但早已不再是戲曲那種程式化的模樣，它真的是被「舞」了起來。無論是水袖、劍或是扇，它們之所以能夠「舞」起來10，也正是因為它們與身韻有著緊密的聯繫，它的起承轉合，它的動律，都與身韻訓練的技法有著直接的關係。但是無論怎樣變化，都是萬變不離其宗，不離中國古典舞的審美定位；不離「身韻」中「形、神、勁、律、氣、意」的審美規律，不離它的基本動勢：「平圓、立圓、八字圓」。這些在教學中必須給予足夠重視。
同樣，戲曲中常用的扇，也經常被編舞者使用，在舞劇《京都伊人》中便有這樣一段舞蹈，題為「公子詠歎」11。表現的是一位清代公子，對京劇癡迷的詠嘆，（在舞劇中，規定人物是一個女扮男裝的角色。）在排演這段舞蹈時，的確感到有一定的難度，它的難度在於：不僅要把一位公子的風流倜儻表演出來，更要把編舞者唐滿城老師精心設計的那種韻味表現出來。當年他在給我排練的時候，就曾像是開玩笑似的說：「這就是玩兒意思！」，我明白他這句話的意思是指什麼，他所謂的「玩兒意思」，就是要把那內在的韻味，在鬆弛的氣息和行雲流水般的動作中表現出來。這種「玩兒意思」，正是身韻的內涵和魅力所在。
歸納身韻的基本動勢，可以說它離不開一個「圓」字，並與芭蕾舞在審美規範、動作規格等方面有著根本的差別，我們常說芭蕾像一個「火柴盒」，是方方正正的，而中國古典舞，恰恰是圓的。這樣的審美定位，不是憑空想像出來的，它正與我們中國的傳統文化、與戲曲、武術、書法、太極甚至八卦等一脈相承。中國古典舞之所以能夠確立自身的體系，正在於它審美定位的準確。
中國古典舞訓練體系的建立，經過了一個漫長的過程，經過了幾代舞蹈教育工作者的努力，這個體系的建立，來自於傳統，但又不為傳統所拘泥；它有著中國傳統的審美情趣，並遵循著這樣一個審美規律發展，但又極富時代感，極具現代人的表現力和激情。當我們談論繼承與傳統的關係，我認為，中國古典舞的發展史便是一個很好的例證。這個體系的建立有著歷史留下的不足和缺憾，但這並不會影響到中國古典舞蹈體系的進一步完善和發展，這是因為在它的創建過程中，沒有離開過實踐，也沒有離開過科學的探索和研究。儘管時至今日，仍會有人不斷地將中國古典舞與芭蕾舞作比較，但我認為，這樣的比較並不一定恰當。這是因為，它們是完全不同的兩個舞種，有著各自不同的歷史、文化和產生的時代背景，芭蕾舞已經走過了百年的路程，而我們的中國古典舞仍在成長過程中，愛護它，並使它在現有的基礎上有更大的發展，正是我們這一代舞蹈教育工作者的責任。
Genesis of Chinese Classical Dance
Before departing on the discussion of Chinese classical
dance, we have to clarify the issue of its definition: Precisely speaking, although the term "Chinese Classical Dance" is applied widely, its themes and stories are not necessarily taken to be ancient.
The stage for Chinese classical dance was first set in the 1950s when the then Beijing Dance School, (now named the Beijing Dancing Academy) had just been established. At that time, ballet was the main dance genre and ballet students who were trained under the supervision and personal teaching of specialists from the then Soviet Union went on to become China's first generation of ballet performing artists. Training had not begun for the other genres of Chinese classical dance. In this virgin training ground, a few farsighted individuals started to cultivate the study of Chinese classical dance, but their work was inhibited by a scarcity of study materials; there are only a handful of historical records of Chinese classical dance. Their way out was to turn to two performing art forms that embodied several centuries' history and were also of the same family as Chinese classical dance; Chinese opera and martial arts. These pioneers with their exceptional vision deserve salutation. Chinese opera embodied many dancing elements, complex and beautiful, so was commonly named "opera-dance"1.
Professor Tang Mancheng discussed how opera-dance developed into "pure dance": "inheriting dance culture from the Han dynasty to the Tang-Song dynasties, opera-dance has further developed for its own need for 800 years. Although the genre of opera includes no pure dance, dancing components infiltrated extensively into its characters and dramatic mission, performing significant allegorical and explanatory functions. In my words, opera-dance is a dramatised form of dance or a life presentation in dance. It laid a solid groundwork for a transformation into a dance form that comes into its own. To keep such a metamorphosis going, we need continuous extraction, processing and development, fairly reminiscent of gold mining. How should we carry out the work? Cut out the singing and speaking parts while keeping the dance elements intact? Not a good idea. Or should we take out the aesthetic principal of opera-dance and create in any direction desired? It's impossibility. To work properly, opera-dance needs two re-mouldings; the first is shifting the focus from drama to pure dance; the second is changing its nature from story-telling and metaphorical to being abstractive. The prime mission is identifying a dance aesthetic, but the course of development should not upset the existing aesthetic created by our ethnicity in thousands years."2(Collection al Essays on Dance by Tang Mancheng, p.63, 64)
The last line of Prof. Tang's words identified how appropriate borrowing, adaptation and transformation should take place. The sharp vision of the early pioneers laid the foundation for development until today. Senior dance practitioners including Li Zhengyi, Tang Mancheng, Ye Ning, Yeng Chongguang, started the work of researching and investigating the establishment of a Chinese classical dance with a clearly set goal, nevertheless, it has not given the convenience of a short-cut.
Elements on loan from opera: "Shan Bang" (a shoulders movement), "Lan Hua Zhi" (a fingers movement), "Ti Tui" (kicking legs) and "Shuan Yao" (a waist movement) are conspicuous in the initial practice of Chinese classical dance, signs that the heavy shadow of opera-dance was still there, but if we compare the "Shan Bang" and "Ti Tui" movements in former days with our present-day dance movements, a change in nature can be observed — "dance" has been released from "opera-dance". The change in "nature" results from a very important fact; we trained dance performers instead of drama performers. As dance performers, they require of their bodies a strong physique, muscular strength and dramatic ability. These qualities are in nature different from the ones required from a dramatic actor.3
Evidently, adaptation from traditional opera does not fully substitute for the need to set up training and performing system for Chinese classical dance. Dancing has its unique requirement of foundational strength, technical skills and physical conditions etc, which opera does not address. Therefore, apart from opera and martial arts, ballet was also brought in, as it was reasoned that: "Chinese classical dance and ballet share the goal of training. It lets performers master efficiently an array of skills from posture, control and spinning to springing. Contrarily, traditional technical movement and styles for both genres are distinct; hence, what ballet offers does not wholly fulfil our needs. It is absolutely necessary we develop our own training system while appreciating ballet's scientific approach." (Collection of Essays on Dance by Tang Mancheng, p.15, 16) On a foundation drawn from opera, martial arts and ballet, Chinese classical dance built up both a unique training system and aesthetic interests, which emphasised elasticity and strength, professionally expressed as "turn", "incline", "round" and "bend", to enrich its training content and lexicography, thus developing into an independently "executed" training system. However, some controversies still remain. Former Soviet Union experts have reminded us that: "What we do is convey to you our experience in ballet, and direct you to aspects that warrant your attention. Whether what you are doing now is right or not, it is subject to test by the practice of teaching." (Collection of Essays on Dance by Tang Mancheng, p.16) These past sayings remain visionary nowadays.
The system of Chinese classical dance was woven by the hard work of several generations and challenged by continuous trial and error. Finally, it has established its own distinctions and identities.
Present Status and Development of Chinese Classical Dance
The development of Chinese Classical Dance was disrupted during the Cultural Revolution. This forceful short-cut is a dreadful regret. Only in the 1980s did Chinese Classical dance revive substantially. The First National Academy Chinese Dance "Peach and Plum Cup" Competition in 1984 formalised the resumption.4 It is no exaggeration to mark the "Peach and Plum Cup" Competition as a milestone in the development of Chinese classical dance. The organisers listed "Basic Training of Chinese classical dance" as an item for competition. This item tested the strength, technique and skill of the candidates while formalising the basic training into an academic, scientific and standardised structure. The test is very demanding in that it requires a strong stylistic identity. What is expected is not only an individual's flawless completion of required movements, but a choreographer's overall "ensemble", which should possess and present the aesthetic of Chinese classical dance, and thus replace the influences of ballet training.5
What the first "Peach and Plum Cup" produced is a batch of talents and a demonstration of the outcome of Chinese Classical dance's training so far, which was later pushed forward many steps further, with changes and development. It has developed its own aesthetic position and characteristics. From this well defined aesthetic departure point, the creation of Chinese classical dance accelerated. Massive productions particularly created for the "Peach and Plum Cup" and the following competitions emerged, in turn creating outstanding directors.
Probably influenced by the qualifying term "classical", the plots of most classical dance productions were based on ancient historical stories, characters and ideas. The duo Farewell after the Wedding borrowed its name from a lengthy literary piece by the famous Chinese poet Du Fu; The Return of Mulan narrates the household story of Hua Mulan going to war on behalf of her father. 6 Social progress led the theme of Chinese classical dance to extend beyond familiar ancient stories. Many young directors explored new thematic dimensions. The choreographer of the grand-scale ensemble Yellow River 7, combined extravagant imagination and precise usage of the lexicography of Chinese classical dance, which was a creation of unprecedented success. The duo Grass Blanket of Pavilion 8 liberated from the fixture of story-telling highlighted its musical content and the characters' emotion. As seen from these productions, there was strong motivation for establishing "pure dance".
The first "Peach and Plum Cup"
Arch Dance of the 1950s, Farewell after the Wedding of the 1970s and Grass Blanket of Pavilion of the 90s plot the evolution of Chinese Classical dance and record its immense changes in forty years, while also showing its richness in content and aesthetic interest. If we claim Farewell after the Wedding, created in the 1970s as a complete story narration, then Yellow River and Grass Blanket of Pavilion created in the 1980s and 1990s respectively, as well as other productions, have been unleashed from "narrative" structure and moved into the field of "pure dance". The dancers, through their body and step, interpret and express music. They have achieved their goals.
Controversies and Questions over Chinese Classical Dance
Polemics arose over the definition of "Chinese Classical Dance". Should Chinese classical dance include the ancient dances of the Han and Tang dynasties? Should it be restricted merely to reflecting ancient lives? Does it have a sound basic training system? These doubts are not yet exhaustive.
I personally argue that these challenges may be debated. Narrowly defined. "Chinese Classical Dance" is a name given by our pioneers, which in the last fifty years has been popularly adopted, and has developed its own aesthetic framework and an increasingly systematic training system. It has produced its own talents, internationally recognised. It is neither ballet nor modern or folk dance. It stakes its own claim as Chinese classical dance. Nevertheless, problems within the system of Chinese classical dance cannot be disregarded and there are some of principal:
Firstly, its training system continues to be led by ballet. This residual effect remains because the needs of ballet, including “widening", "tightening" and "straightening" are also concerns of Chinese classical dance. The core issue is that training tools exceeding the science and system of ballet have not yet been developed. This problem was practically "preserved because of the controversy" aroused during the early stage of Chinese classical dance. Indeed, the teaching of Chinese classical dance in present days continues to adapt the training techniques of ballet. This adaptation is not a vice when its goal is for improvement.
Secondly, the term "Classical Dance" continues to be taken as a foot-binding bandage for creators of Chinese Classical Dance, bringing criticism of their creations. The shadow of ballet on some duos was immediately pounced upon by foreign critics, who commented, "Isn't this ballet? It's just a ballet not on point." Some people proposed to rename Chinese Classical Dance as "post-modern Chinese dance" or "Chinese Modern Classical Dance" These various ideas about the name cannot completely erase the problem.
On the Shenyun Lesson (Body Rhythm Lesson)
The incunabula “Shenyun Lesson” established a key milestone in the history of Chinese classical dance. In his preface written for Collection of Essays on Dance by Tang Mancheng, Mr Lu Yisheng writes, "in the early eighties, classical dance on one hand came under the challenge of the massive dilapidation left by the sweeping effect of the Cultural Revolution, while on the other hand, it was overwhelmed by an incoming artistic current. Given this situation, the teaching, learning, and creation of Chinese classical dance were as if chained. In view of such difficulties, Tang and Li Zhengyi took up the burden of leading an intellectual discipline. Based on the foundation of Shenduan (body gesture), which existed in classical dance, they adopted an extraction approach to break ground with a new discipline called Shenyun Lesson. Right away, this aroused an overwhelming response within and outside the country. People immediately appreciated its worth in developing classical dance from being a component of opera, to one of dance, and acknowledged its scientific value. It is no exaggeration to state that classical dance was rejuvenated. People seemed to be watching at the dawning of a classical dance renaissance." His words read the importance of Shenyun Lesson to Chinese classical dance.
In its infancy, “Shenyun Lesson” was referred to as “Shenduan”, a jargon adopted from the genre of Chinese opera. Apart from 'singing, orating, gesturing and combating', five other key elements of opera-dance are "hand, eye, body, hair, and step". “Shenduan” is the soul and conscience of opera-dance.
While Chinese classical dance feeds on the essence of opera, “Shenduan”. which is a treasure of Chinese opera, would evidently be “brought over” as a useful tool. But just “bringing over” is far from being an adequate process, as opera-dance is so different from the 'pure dance' being sought. What the developers of 'Shenyun Lesson' achieved is a new understanding of their inheritance and tradition while freeing them from the format of tradition. "Our top concern about traditional style is to gain an overall aesthetic developed from the long history of Chinese ethnicity, instead of a few static postures." (Tang, p. 72)
At the beginning of Chinese classical dance, there was a stage where 'opera-dance' was understood to be 'Chinese classical dance'. This understanding is unavoidable, even though it is narrow-minded. Dance practitioners of former generations were very knowledgeable about various Chinese operas, particularly Peking opera, which explains their capacity to thoroughly research opera-dance. Their studies laid a solid foundation for the establishment of `Shenyun Lesson'. My mentor, Prof. Tang Mancheng did not only possess a wealth of knowledge about Chinese opera, he was passionate about Peking opera as well as having a scholarly understanding of this art form. With these remarkably talented and highly knowledgeable seniors, Chinese classical dance has achieved what it has today.
'Hand figure', 'hand position' and 'leg position' were 'brought over' from Chinese opera, also the movements of 'Yun Shou', 'Huang Shou', 'Xiao Wu Hua' and 'Da Dao Hua”, etc. But 'bringing over' brings out problems. For Chinese opera, its 'figure' exists shoulder to shoulder with 'singing', 'orating'. 'gesturing' and 'combating'. If the 'shape' is alienated, standing alone, then its glamour which would have radiated in opera-dance, is blown right away. Indeed, the crux of the problem is that, merely inserting the 'figure' of opera-dance into Chinese classical dance falls short of growing a unique character, in a way not too different from a man wearing a cloak borrowed from somebody else. The 'bringing over' of the martial arts elements of 'Feng Huo Lun', 'Bai Lian Tui' and 'Wu Long Pan Da', carries the same problem.
Retrospection begins here. Things taken in have to be digested before turning into nutrients for the development of Chinese classical dance and for the formation of its identity. Senior dance practitioners clearly realise that this is what the establishment of 'Shenyu Lesson' is about.
Li Zhengyi and Tang Mencheng attempted to create some "dance-Shenyun ensembles". From trials they discovered possibilities, but these were not lifted to a theoretical level and put into sophisticated realisation. Thus, since 1980, people have been pressed by objective reality to re-understand the relationship between inheritance and development. According to the words of Professor Tang, "the greatest breakthrough is our acknowledgement that our ethnic tradition and style are neither unknown nor abstract, nor of the kind whose problems can be dealt with by simple imitation of opera or martial arts".
The transformation from `Shenduan' to `Shenyun’ might appear only to be the literal substitution of a single Chinese character, but in fact this seemingly marginal change was sufficient to set about a substantial evolution in content.
The change from 'Shenduan' to `Shenyun' initiated a distinction between 'opera-dance' and 'dance', and established as its dance criteria, 'balance between the concrete and abstract', 'unity between the interior and exterior', and 'equal attention to both heart and body'. It set free classical dance from the shadow of 'opera-dance' and began a new chapter in Chinese classical dance.
The single character 'Yun' (rhythm), itself unfolds a rich discussion, beginning with the meaning of 'Yun' in dance. 'Yun' is the 'spirit', the 'breath'. the 'meeting of a point with a plane', 'an urge to perform the call springing straight from the heart'. 'Springing from the heart; setting off from the waist, and contouring in a body' are what matter in this presentation style. Every movement obeys the calling from the 'heart', and follows the steering function of the waist, which is the crux and essence of Chinese classical dance, the focus of daily training, and is what we call the 'central section'. With initiation by the 'heart' and the lead of the 'waist', movements are finally presented by the 'body'.
The change of one character has brought a new content to Chinese classical dance, giving this art form a new life and an urge for performance. Massive 'elements' extracted from 'opera' and 'martial arts' are applied to dance performance and dance classes. These 'elements' possess practical values and power of articulation, and are representative of an era, weaving their own credits and worth. They are no more island entities. `Shenduan' borrowed from opera no longer plays a 'sheet of detachable skin' in the dance genre. The birth of “Shenyun Lesson” incubates a new life for Chinese classical dance, liberating it from the bondage of drama-dance.
With the sensibility derived from my teaching experience, I appreciate that Shenyun Lesson has valuable training worth. Apart from enriching the lexicon of Chinese classical dance, it provides a new medium to train the body relaxation and inhalation skills essential to Classical dance performers. Its most remarkable contribution is that it improves the precision of the aesthetic framework for Chinese classical dance. To a great extent, Shenyun Lesson filled in the loopholes and inadequacies in the basic training of Chinese classical dance left over from ballet. The marriage of Shenyun Lesson and Chinese classical dance breeds a training system of unique style for the latter. This unity came with the aforementioned extensive historical background; absorbing the essence of opera and martial art, Chinese classical dance has grown its aesthetic from a foundation fertile in Chinese civilisation, and at the same time remains abreast of the life and rhythm of the modem generation. From some outstanding productions emerging in recent years, for instance Yellow River9, River Water, The Butterfly Lovers and Return of Mulan, etc, can be traced the influences of the inspirations and driving forces of the initiators of the Shenyun Lesson training system.
On the basis of the rise and growth of Shenyun Lesson, Chinese classical dance has been earning exuberance in the training studio, as well as on the stage. It is enriched also by the performance of long sleeve, sword and fan. Although these items were drawn from opera, they have been transformed from being a rigid set of props to part of the dance "organism"10. Whether it is a long sleeve, a sword or a fan, its dynamism is activated by its intimacy with Shenyun. From the opening to the epilogue, with its rhythm dancing along, all in all, they attach themselves to the training technique of Shenyun. Regardless of whatever face they wear, they neither betray the aesthetic orientation of Chinese classical dance, nor go astray from "the pose, the spirit, the force, the rhythm, the air and the sense" of Shenyun's aesthetic rhythm, nor missing the fundamental postures; horizontal circle, vertical circle, and the circle bearing figurative likeness to the character '8'. These principles are regarded as classics.
The fan, a prop often seen in Chinese opera, wins also the favour of choreographers. In the dance drama The Portrait of Ladies in Beijing, an act A Gentleman Chants 11 shows a Qing dynasty nobleman chanting his passion of Peking opera. When I rehearsed this scene (the dance drama specified that the role must be played by a woman in disguise), I had to overcome a challenge; I had to recreate the gentlemanly manner characterising the role but I also needed to bring out the spirit delicately composed by Mr. Tang the choreographer. Once while he was rehearsing with me, he said, "that's the humour!" half-jokingly. I understand that his "humour" is an intrinsic spirit emitting in an air of lightness and running movements, and embedded in this "humour" the substance of Shenyun is blending its charm.
The basic movement of Shenyun adheres to the rule of dancing in "circular" flow, an order different from ballet's aesthetic framework and standard of movement. It has always been said that the basic posture of classical ballet is constructed out of a level plane stretched and maintained from shoulder to legs, like a straight-edged 'matchbox', while the one of Chinese classical dance emphasises curve and flow. This aesthetic of Chinese classical dance is not imagined out of the blue, but coheres with other expressions of Chinese culture; opera, martial art, calligraphy, Taqii and the Eight Trigrams. Chinese classical dance owes much to the precision of its aesthetic positioning for establishing itself as an independent system. The formation of the Chinese classical dance training system has been a long and winding road built out of the sweat of dance educators of several generations. This construction is grounded on tradition, yet is never a puppet of the past. It is opulent with traditional Chinese aesthetic sensibility, yet is strong in contemporary sensibility, putting on stage a vivid and strong representation of its time and people. In my opinion, the course of development of Chinese classical dance is a very appropriate platform for discussing the relationship between inheritance and tradition. The Chinese classical dance system is not a closed and flawless circuit, but is always open to improvement and development during its stages of construction, tested by practice and scientific exploration and research. Even, today, juxtaposing Chinese classical dance with ballet still exists as a cliché. Such comparison, in my view, does not make much sense because each has its own identity, set against the specific historical, cultural and social background of its breeding age. Ballet has a history centuries old but our Chinese classical dance is still in its formative stage. People taking up the task of dance education have a responsibility to develop Chinese classical dance on a solid ground.
註Notes
參看京劇《霸王別姬》（梅蘭芳飾演）See Peking Opera Heroic King Farewells his Concubine (Acted by Mei Lanfang).
中國戲劇出版社1993年8月出版。唐滿城，1932-2004，湖南瀏陽人。1950年起從事舞蹈工作，早年在中央戲劇學院舞蹈團、北京人民藝術劇院隊，中國歌劇舞劇院任舞蹈演員，1954 年起在北京舞蹈學院從事舞蹈教育，歷任中國古典舞教研組長、教育系、民族舞劇系主任、學術委員會主任等職。Published by Chinese Opera Press, August 1993. Tang Mancheng (1932-2004), Hunan ethnicity, began his dance career in 1950; was a dancer in dance groups under Central Drama Academy, Beijing Pe
ople's Artistic Theatre and Chinese Opera and Dance Institute: after 1954, he worked on dance education at Beijing Dance Academy as Leader for Chinese Classical Dance Education and Research, Heads of Education Department and Ethnic Dance Department, and Academic Committee's Director.
參看舞蹈《雙人弓舞》（北京舞蹈學院實習排練課教材） See Arch Dance Duo (training material of Beijing Dance Academy).
「全國藝術院校桃李杯舞蹈比賽」 始於 1984 年，由當年的北京舞蹈學院中國舞系發起並組織實施，當時定名為「全國藝術院校首屆中國舞桃李杯邀請賽」，後更名。The National Art Institute’s Peach and Plum Dance Competition was initiated and organized by the ChineseDance Department of the then BeijingDance Academy under the name of “The First National Art Institute’s Chinese Dance Peach and Plum Cup Invitation”, and later renamed.
參看歷屆「桃李杯舞蹈比賽」基本功訓練部分。 See the Basic Training Section of the past Peach & Plum Cup Dance Competitions.
雙人舞《新婚別》，邱友仁、陳澤美編舞，音樂選自二胡協奏曲《新婚別》；雙人舞《烏江恨》，陳維亞編舞，選材於歷史故事《霸王別姬》；三人舞《金山戰鼓》，門文元編舞，取材於梁紅玉的故事；女子獨舞蹈《木蘭歸》，陳唯亞、丁潔編舞。參看第一、二屆「桃李杯舞蹈比賽」劇目部分。 The duo Farewell after Wedding is choreographed by Yao Yauren and Chen Zimei with Music from erhu symphony Farewell after Wedding. The duo Giref of Wu River is choreographed by Chen Weiya and is based on the historic story The Heroic King Farewell his Concubine. Trio Drum War in Golden Mountain is choreographed by Mun Wenyun, based on the story of Liang Hungyu, Woman's solo Return of Mulan is choreographed by Chen Weiyar and Ting Jie. These titles refer to those of the First and Second "Peach and Plug Dance Competitions”.
集體舞，選用《鋼琴協奏曲黃河》為音樂，編舞張羽軍，沈培藝。 Ensemble, adopts Piano Concerto of yellow River as its background music, choreographed by Zhang Yu Jun and Shan Pei Yi.
雙人舞，劉群、劉琦編舞。 Duo, choreographed by Liang Qun.
參看集體舞《黃河》第二樂章中的雙人舞（北京舞蹈學院演出） See the duo performed in the second chapter of the ensemble Yellow River (performed by Beijing Dance Academy)
參看舞劇《京都伊人》第一章（盛培琪編舞、領舞，天創女子舞蹈團演出）和《京都伊人》第一章 中的「劍舞和（劉琦編舞、演出） See dance-drama The Portrait of Ladies in Beijing first scene and the episode “Sword Dance” in the scene (choreographed and performed by Liu Qi).
參看舞蹈《京都伊人》第一章中的女子獨舞《公子詠嘆》（唐滿成編舞，裴長青演出）See woman's solo “A Gentlemen Chants” in the first scene of The Portrait of Ladies in Beijing (choreographed by Tang Mencheng, performed by Pei Changqing)
1998.
編輯手記 Editor's Note
北京舞蹈學院建校之初，一批資深藝術家們共同開創了「中國古典舞」學科。1961年推出的第一 部《中國古典舞教學法》(俗稱「大綠本」)，為學科建立基礎，80年代以中國傳統哲學與傳統文化底蘊發展出「身韻」。本文回顧「中國古典舞」初建的首數十年的歷史及規範發展，原文是一篇於2006年「香港國際舞蹈節」（由香港舞蹈聯盟及香港演藝學院合辦）中發表的論文，後轉載於《舞蹈手札》。作者裴長青曾受教於研究中國古典舞教學理論的唐滿城教授，自2003年起在香港演藝學院任職講師。 文章寫成的這十多年，中國大陸「中國古典舞」的舞團亦前所未有的多次巡演全球，不僅向各地展示這舞蹈藝術，相信亦互相學習良多。今年是中國古典舞創建的第65年，相對數百年歷史的其他舞蹈種類尚算年輕，而至今仍不斷研究及實驗，令人期待今後的變革。
Right after the Beijing Dance Academy was founded in 1954, a group of senior artists worked together to create the discipline of Chinese classical dance. The first Chinese Classical Dance Teaching Methods, launched in 1961, established the foundation for the discipline. In the 1980s, another form, Shenyun, was developed based on traditional Chinese philosophy and culture. The article we are reprinting reviewed the history and standard development of Chinese classical dance in the decades since its establishment. It is taken from a paper given at the 2006 Hong Kong Dance Festival, presented by the Hong Kong Dance Alliance and the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, and was later published in dance journal/hk. The author, Pei Changqing, has been a Lecturer in Chinese Dance at the HKAPA since 2003 and was a student of Professor Tang Mancheng, one of the pioneers who built the foundation of Chinese classical dance.
More than ten years have now passed since the article was written, and during this time, Chinese classical dance companies from mainland China have frequently toured the world as never before. While sharing their art form with various countries with different cultures, they have also learned from exchanges with others. This is the 65th year since the creation of Chinese classical dance. While it is still relatively young in comparison to other dance forms that have histories dating back hundreds of years, up to this day its proponents continue to research and experiment. One looks forward to seeing how this dance form will evolve in the future.
