From May 21 to 26, the inaugural “South and Southeast Asia Drama Exhibition and Exchange Activities and International Academic Forum” was successfully held at Yunnan Arts University. The forum was organized by the Drama School of Yunnan Arts University, co-hosted by the Drama Studies Department and the Drama Literature Department, and supported by the “Drama and Film Industry Creation Project Incubation” Key Laboratory. The event saw the participation of 25 foreign experts from Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Singapore, along with nearly 40 domestic experts who engaged in drama exhibitions and academic discussions.
The forum focused on several themes, including the geographical advantages of drama exchanges between Yunnan and South and Southeast Asia, the presentation of Ramayana and Ramakien in drama, and the protection of intangible cultural heritage in drama from China, South, and Southeast Asia. It aimed to enhance communication and cooperation between Chinese and South and Southeast Asian drama artists and scholars, promoting the prosperity and development of drama arts and theoretical research across these regions.
The forum comprised three main segments: drama performances, teaching exchange lectures, and academic seminars. The drama performances featured 6 shows from 4 countries, presented in 3 special sessions held at the Drama School’s small theaters 112 and 114 and the Music School’s Ankang Concert Hall at Yunnan Arts University. The participating troupes and performances included the Thai Art Development Institute’s Kinaree, Chadri, and Adapted Folk Dance excerpts; Vietnam’s Liyu Troupe’s Five Changes; Cambodia’s Khaor Troupe’s Ramayana excerpts; Gengma National Song and Dance Troupe’s traditional Dai play Jinara; the Drama School’s original children’s play Little Carrot Head excerpts; and the Drama School’s original physical theater piece Sketch Molière excerpts. These captivating performances served as a bridge for theatrical exchanges between Chinese and South and Southeast Asian drama arts, fostering mutual learning and cultural transmission.
Five lecture exchanges were held, inviting experts from five countries to conduct 11 hours of in-depth and engaging courses for all teachers and students of the Drama School from Yunnan Arts University. Artists such as Nguyen Thi Liyu and Nguyen Van Hai from Vietnam’s Liyu Troupe introduced Vietnamese traditional drama genres like chèo and water puppetry to participating teachers and students. As the first private drama troupe in Hanoi, Nguyen Thi Liyu also provided insights into the troupe’s social operations. Cambodia’s troupe leader Kong Srey and artists introduced the history, plot, costumes, and necessary training processes for Cambodian Khaor drama, demonstrating basic movements to the students of the Drama School. Professors Supachai and Jintana from the Thai Art Development Institute presented the distinct characteristics of dances from northern, southern, central, and northeastern Thailand, and explained the artistic origins, story backgrounds, performance types, and special meanings of masks and costumes in Thai Khon drama. They also actively engaged with the students, teaching Thai traditional dance and Khon drama. Professor Yu Weijie from Singapore’s Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts shared her personal experiences and professional journey, introducing the corporate attributes and evolution of German public theaters to the students and teachers of the Drama School. Yan Feng, head of the Gengma National Song and Dance Troupe, along with other artists, discussed the history and artistic features of traditional Dai plays from Lincang, Yunnan, demonstrating basic movements of Jinara and traditional Dai music and dance to the students. Each lecture’s Q&A session witnessed enthusiastic participation, creating a vibrant atmosphere of exchange and mutual learning among creators, researchers, and students from different countries and artistic fields.
The academic seminar segment of the forum was divided into three sections: the Young Scholars Forum, the Experts and Scholars Forum, and the Young Students Forum. In the Young Scholars Forum, young teachers from the Drama School and doctoral students from the Thai Art Development Institute presented on cross-cultural drama creation and research between China and Thailand, with professors from the Thai Art Development Institute and the Chinese National Academy of Arts providing commentary. The Experts and Scholars Forum featured 12 domestic and international experts and scholars, including Mao Xiaoyu, Yu Weijie, Fang Ning, Du Jianhua, Wu Yaming, Chen Jianping, Qu Shifei, Han Meng, Liu Xuwu, Zhao Zhiyong, Yang Jun, and Yang Junxia, who delivered academic reports on six main topics, resulting in fruitful academic discussions. In the Young Students Forum, 19 graduate and undergraduate students from the Drama School received valuable feedback from several young key teachers, aiding their future academic growth.
The six-day event attracted nearly a thousand teachers, students, and domestic and international experts, garnering significant attention and praise. The Drama School of Yunnan Arts University will continue to thoroughly study and implement the important speech of President Xi Jinping at the Symposium on Cultural Heritage and Development, firmly grasping the significance of “two combinations” and the “five prominent characteristics” of Chinese civilization. The School aims to deepen the content and scope of the “Forum on China-Foreign Drama Exchanges and Cooperation,” integrating traditional Chinese drama culture into the dramatical arts of South and Southeast Asia with a more open and inclusive attitude.
