Abstract:

Xiangsheng (crosstalk) is a traditional performing art that can be traced back well over 100 years. Through its long history, Xiangsheng has developed a set of unique performance style and a distinctive internal structure of scripts. Performers also formed their own unique artistic genres. Xiangsheng evolved gradually from street performance to stage art. Its performance format, script structure and skit style made constant adjustments in response to the changing social conditions. Xiangsheng as performance art reflects both aspects of politics and public sentiment, and state and society. In this paper, the author attempts to explain the origin, attributes and structural characteristics of Xiangsheng by using various materials of skits, local history, and personal memoirs. Through the lense of sociology and interpretive anthropology, comparison and analysis of classical works from different periods are presented through two standpoints:1) the multiple structure of Xiangsheng skits and meanings as social commentaries; and 2) the historical process of Xiangsheng evolving from low-class street folk performance to popular stage art form. The discussion reveals the social and political logic behind the evolution of Xiangsheng, and how public sentiment and politics are echoed in popular skits. Furthermore, the sociological interpretation of comic dialogues exposes the unique relationship among the state, market and society, and its practical presence in modern China.

Key words: text structure, Cross talk, power, politics, public sentiment