思想構造としての元曲

Abstract

Similar to today's musical drama, the Yuan opera are scenarios for plays, composed of songs and words. These works were played in town theatres in the Yuan China. Many of the works had well-designed stories and were popular in spite of their simplifies. Themes of the works are mainly stories of judgement especially on murder and inheritance dispute. In other works, we find stories of revenge upon powerful villain for the unfortunate innocent or victim deceived. Most of the works had ending that fair judgement was made by an executive officer finally. He was a hero who was endowed with ultimate authority by the emperor. This kind of conclusion pleased the audience because the officer solved all the troubles, save the innocent criminal, and finally declared the triumph of social justice on stage. The audience did not deny the ruling power and wished to get a position in the bureaucratic hierarchy, though they hated the people who violated justice. In these most favoured entertainments, we can find as much politic-cultural value as artistic accomplishment. The writers of scenario belonged to semi-intellectual class, and some of them even performed on stage themselves. Sometimes their names were unknown. However, they knew the social problem in that time and were able to understand the system of bureaucracy to a certain extent. These drama works had wonderful artistic form to express their thought.