Editing Performing arts (section)

=== Eastern performing arts ===

====West Asia====
The most popular forms of theater in the [[Islamic Golden Age|medieval Islamic world]] were [[puppet]] theatre (which included hand puppets, [[shadow play]]s and [[marionette]] productions) and live passion plays known as ''ta'ziya'', where actors re-enact episodes from [[Muslim history]]. In particular, [[Shia Islam]]ic plays revolved around the ''[[Shahid|shaheed]]'' (martyrdom) of [[Ali]]'s sons [[Hasan ibn Ali]] and [[Husayn ibn Ali]]. It commonly refers to passion plays about the [[battle of Karbala]] and its prior and subsequent events. [[Lewis Pelly|Sir Lewis Pelly]] begins the preface of his book about Ta'zieh maintaining that "If the success of a drama is to be measured by the effects
which it produces upon the people for whom it is composed, or upon the audiences before whom it is represented, no play has ever surpassed the tragedy known in the Mussulman world as that of [[Hasan ibn Ali|Hasan]] and [[Husayn ibn Ali|Husain]]."
<ref name="Pelly">{{cite book|last1=Pelly|first1=Lewis|title=The Miracle Play of Hasan and Husain|url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.175218|date=1879|publisher=W. H. Allen and Co.|isbn=978-1-0152-8641-2|page=III|language=en}}</ref> Years later Peter Chelkowski, professor of Iranian and Islamic studies at [[NYU]], chooses the same words for the beginning of his book 'Ta`ziyeh, ritual and drama in Iran'.<ref name="Chelkowski">{{cite book|last1=Chelkowski|first1=Peter J.|title=Ta'ziyeh: Ritual and Drama in Iran|url=https://archive.org/details/tazyehritualdram0000unse|date=1979|publisher=New York University|isbn=0-8147-1375-0|page=XV|language=en}}</ref>
Live secular plays were known as ''akhraja'', recorded in medieval ''[[Adab (behavior)|adab]]'' literature, though they were less common than puppetry and ''ta'ziya'' theater.<ref>{{citation|last=Moreh |first=Shmuel |author-link=Shmuel Moreh |contribution=Live Theater in Medieval Islam |title=Studies in Islamic History and Civilization |editor=David Ayalon |editor2=[[Moshe Sharon]] |publisher=[[Brill Publishers]] |year=1986 |isbn=978-965-264-014-7 |pages=565–601}}</ref>
[[File:Valiollah Torabi.jpg|thumb|Valiollah Torabi, Iranian naqqāl (storyteller) of Shahnameh]]

====Iran====
{{Main|Persian theatre}}
In [[Iran]] there are other forms of theatrical events such as ''Naghali'' or ''Naqqāli'' (story telling), ''[[Ta'zieh]]'', ''ٰRu-Howzi'', ''[[Siah-Bazi]]'', ''Parde-Khani'', and ''[[Mareke giri]]''. Prior to the twentieth century, storytelling was the most recognized form of entertainment, although today, some forms still remain. One form, ''Naghali,'' was traditionally performed in coffeehouses where the storytellers, or ''Naghals (Naqqāls),'' only recited sections of a story at a time, thus retaining regular cliental. These stories were based on events of historical or religious importance and many referenced poetries from the [[Shahnameh]]. These stories were often altered to bond with the atmosphere or mood of the audience.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Talebi |first1=Niloufar |title='Memory of a Phoenix Feather': Iranian Storytelling Traditions and Contemporary Theater |journal=World Literature Today |date=2009 |volume=83 |issue=4 |pages=49–53 |id={{Gale|A203229174}} {{Project MUSE|843278}} {{ProQuest|209398361}} |doi=10.1353/wlt.2009.0306 |s2cid=160657511 }}</ref>

====India====
{{main|Theatre in India||Sanskrit drama}}
[[File:Bharatanatyam is a major form of Indian classical dance that originated in the state of Tamil Nadu.jpg|thumb|left|[[Bharatanatyam]], an Indian classical dance that originated in [[Tamil Nadu]]]]
[[File:Gotikua dance.jpg|thumb|left|Gotikua folk dance is one of the well known performances performed by all boys group dressed in the Indian ladies attire [[Saree]].]]

Folk theatre and dramatics can be traced to the religious ritualism of the [[Vedic period|Vedic peoples]] in the [[2nd millennium BC]]. This folk theatre of the misty past was mixed with dance, food, ritualism, plus a depiction of events from daily life. The last element made it the origin of the classical theatre of later times. Many historians, notably D. D. Kosambi, Debiprasad Chattopadhyaya, Adya Rangacharaya, etc. have referred to the prevalence of ritualism amongst [[Indo-Aryans|Indo-Aryan]] tribes in which some members of the tribe acted as if they were wild animals, and some others were the hunters. Those who acted as mammals like goats, buffaloes, reindeer, monkeys, etc. were chased by those playing the role of hunters.{{citation needed|date=January 2023}}

[[Bharata Muni]] (fl. 5th–2nd century BC) was an ancient Indian writer best known for writing the ''[[Natya Shastra of Bharata]]'', a theoretical treatise on Indian performing arts, including theatre, dance, acting, and music, which has been compared to [[Aristotle]]'s ''[[Poetics (Aristotle)|Poetics]]''. Bharata is often known as the father of Indian theatrical arts. His ''Natya Shastra'' seems to be the first attempt to develop the technique or rather art, of drama in a systematic manner. The Natya Shastra tells us not only what is to be portrayed in a drama, but how the portrayal is to be done. Drama, as Bharata Muni says, is the imitation of men and their doings (''loka-vritti''). As men and their doings have to be respected on the stage, so drama in Sanskrit is also known by the term ''rupaka'', which means portrayal.<ref>{{Cite web| title=Bharatmuni’s Natyashastra: The Rise of Indian Drama | url=https://www.ijtsrd.com/papers/ijtsrd49615.pdf/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230131092439/https://www.ijtsrd.com/papers/ijtsrd49615.pdf | archive-date=2023-01-31}}</ref>

The ''[[Ramayana]]'' and ''[[Mahabharata]]'' can be considered the first recognized plays that originated in India. These epics provided the inspiration to the earliest Indian dramatists and they do it even today. Indian dramatists such as [[Bhāsa]] in the 2nd century BC wrote plays that were heavily inspired by the ''Ramayana'' and ''Mahabharata''.{{citation needed|date=January 2023}}

[[Kālidāsa]] in the 1st century BC, is arguably considered to be ancient [[India]]'s greatest dramatist. Three famous romantic plays written by Kālidāsa are the ''[[Mālavikāgnimitram]]'' (''Mālavikā and Agnimitra''), ''[[Vikramōrvaśīyam]]'' (''Pertaining to Vikrama and Urvashi''), and ''[[The Recognition of Sakuntala|Abhijñānaśākuntala]]'' (''The Recognition of Shakuntala''). The last was inspired by a story in the ''Mahabharata'' and is the most famous. It was the first to be translated into English and German. In comparison to Bhāsa, who drew heavily from the epics, Kālidāsa can be considered an original playwright.{{citation needed|date=January 2023}}

The next great Indian dramatist was [[Bhavabhuti]] (c. 7th century). He is said to have written the following three plays: ''Malati-Madhava'', ''[[Mahaviracharita]]'' and ''Uttar Ramacharita''. Among these three, the last two cover between them, the entire epic of ''Ramayana''. The powerful Indian emperor [[Harsha]] (606–648) is credited with having written three plays: the comedy ''[[Ratnavali]]'', ''[[Priyadarsika]]'', and the [[Buddhist]] drama ''[[Nagananda]]''. Many other dramatists followed during the [[Middle Ages]].{{citation needed|date=January 2023}}

There were many performing art forms in the southern part of India, Kerala is such a state with different such art forms like [[Koodiyattam]], [[Nangyarkoothu]], [[Kathakali]], [[Chakyar koothu]], [[Thirayattam]] and there were many prominent artists like [[Ramanchakyar|Painkulam Raman Chakyar]] and others.{{citation needed|date=January 2023}}

====China====
{{main|Theatre of China}}
[[File:Hand shadow drama 3.jpg|thumb|upright=.8|Hand shadow drama, China]]

There are references to theatrical entertainments in China as early as 1500 BC during the [[Shang dynasty]]; they often involved music, clowning and acrobatic displays.<ref name="McConachie Sorgenfrei Underiner Nellhaus 2016 p. 153">{{cite book | last1=McConachie | first1=B. | last2=Sorgenfrei | first2=C.F. | last3=Underiner | first3=T. | last4=Nellhaus | first4=T. | title=Theatre Histories: An Introduction | publisher=Taylor & Francis | year=2016 | isbn=978-1-135-04113-7 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZMmjCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA153 | access-date=29 Jun 2023 | page=153 | archive-date=29 June 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230629202618/https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=ZMmjCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA153 | url-status=live }}</ref>

The [[Tang dynasty]] is sometimes known as "The Age of 1000 Entertainments". During this era, [[Emperor Xuanzong of Tang]] formed an acting school known as the Children of the [[Pear Garden]] to produce a form of drama that was primarily musical.<ref name="McConachie Sorgenfrei Underiner Nellhaus 2016 p. 153"/>

During the [[Han dynasty]], [[shadow play]], also known as shadow puppetry, first emerged as a recognized form of theatre in China. The plays depicted adventure and fantasy. Symbolic color was prevalent; a black face represented honesty, a red one bravery. The heads were removed at night, in keeping with the old superstition that if left intact, the puppets would come to life. Shadow puppetry is said to have reached its highest point of artistic development in the 11th century, before becoming a tool of the government.{{citation needed|date=January 2023}}

In the [[Song dynasty]], there were many popular plays involving [[acrobatic]]s and music. These developed in the [[Yuan dynasty]] into a more sophisticated form with a four- or five-act structure. Yuan drama spread across China and diversified into numerous regional forms, the best known of which is Beijing Opera, which is still popular today.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Carter |first=James |date=2022-09-28 |title=The origins of Peking Opera |url=https://thechinaproject.com/2022/09/28/the-origins-of-peking-opera/ |access-date=2025-01-18 |website=The China Project |language=en-US}}</ref>

====Thailand====
{{further|Ramakien}}
[[File:WatPhraKeaw Ramayana Chariot.JPG|thumb|[[Hanuman]] on his chariot, a scene from the [[Ramakien]] in [[Wat Phra Kaew]], [[Bangkok]]]]

In [[Thailand]], it has been a tradition from the Middle Ages to stage plays based on plots drawn from Indian epics. In particular, the theatrical version of Thailand's national epic ''[[Ramakien]]'', a version of the Indian ''[[Ramayana]]'', remains popular in Thailand even today.

====Cambodia====
In [[Cambodia]], inscriptions dating back to the 6th century [[AD]] indicates evidence of dancers at a local temple and using puppetry for religious plays. At the ancient capital [[Angkor Wat]], stories from the Indian epics ''Ramayana'' and ''[[Mahabharata]]'' have been carved on the walls of temples and palaces. Similar reliefs are found at [[Borobudur]] in Indonesia.

====Philippines====
In the [[Philippines]], the famous [[epic poetry|epic]] poem [[Ibong Adarna]], originally titled ''"Korido at Buhay na Pinagdaanan ng Tatlong Prinsipeng Magkakapatid na anak nina Haring Fernando at Reyna Valeriana sa Kahariang Berbania"'' (English: "[[Corrido]] and Life Lived by the Three Princes, children of King Fernando and Queen Valeriana in the Kingdom of Berbania") from the 16th century was written by [[José de la Cruz (writer)|José de la Cruz]] during the [[Spanish era]]. Aside from theatrical performances, different films were produced by different film studios/ television productions. The first produced "Ang Ibong Adarna" film was produced by [[LVN Pictures]], the biggest film studio in the history of the Philippines.

[[Florante at Laura]] is an ''"[[awit (poem)|awit]]"'' or a poem consisting of 12-syllable quatrains with the full title ''"Pinagdaanang Buhay ni Florante at ni Laura sa Kahariang Albanya"'' (English: "The History of Florante and Laura in the [[Kingdom of Albania (medieval)|Kingdom of Albania]]") was written by [[Francisco Balagtas]] in 1838 during his imprisonment dedicated to his sweetheart Maria Asuncuion Rivera (nicknamed "M.A.R.", referenced to as "Selya"). The poem has a special part entitled "[[Kay Selya]]" (English: "For Celia") specially dedicated for Rivera.

The [[Philippine]]'s national hero, [[José Rizal]] who is also a novelist, created the two famous poems in the Philippines, ''[[Noli Me Tángere (novel)|Noli Me Tángere]]'' ([[Latin]] for "Touch me not", with an acute accent added on the final word in accordance with [[Spanish orthography]]) (1887) that describes perceived inequities of the Spanish Catholic friars and the ruling government and ''[[El Filibusterismo]]'' (translations: The filibusterism; The Subversive or The Subversion, as in the Locsín English translation, are also possible translations, also known by its alternative English title The Reign of Greed) (1891). The novel's dark theme departs dramatically from the previous novel's hopeful and romantic atmosphere, signifying Ibarra's resort to solving his country's issues through violent means, after his previous attempt in reforming the country's system made no effect and seemed impossible with the corrupt attitude of the Spaniards toward the Filipinos. These novels were written during the [[colonization of the Philippines]] by the [[Spanish Empire]].

All of these literary pieces were under the curriculum of the [[K-12 Program for Junior High Schools]], [[Ibong Adarna]] is under the Grade 7 Curriculum; [[Florante at Laura]] (Grade 8); ''Noli Me Tángere'' (Grade 9); and [[El Filibusterismo]] (Grade 10).

====Japan====
[[File:Kabuki play.jpg|thumb|right|Kabuki play]]
[[File:Performance 1 (in Kagoshima).jpg|thumb|right|Performance in [[Kagoshima]]]]
{{main|Noh|Bunraku|Kabuki|Butoh}}

During the 14th century, there were small companies of actors in [[Japan]] who performed short, sometimes vulgar comedies. A director of one of these companies, Kan'ami (1333–1384), had a son, [[Zeami Motokiyo]] (1363–1443), who was considered one of the finest child actors in Japan. When Kan'ami's company performed for [[Ashikaga Yoshimitsu]] (1358–1408), the {{transliteration|ja|[[shōgun]]}} of Japan, he implored Zeami to have a court education for his arts.<ref>{{Cite web|title=the-noh.com : The Words of Zeami : His Dramatic Life|url=https://www.the-noh.com/en/zeami/index.html|access-date=2021-09-19|website=www.the-noh.com|language=en|archive-date=11 March 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220311175457/https://www.the-noh.com/en/zeami/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref> After Zeami succeeded his father, he continued to perform and adapt his style into what is today [[Noh]]. A mixture of [[pantomime]] and vocal acrobatics, the Noh style of theatre has become one of Japan's most refined forms of theatrical performance.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Bowers |first1=Faubion |title=Japanese Theatre |date=1974 |publisher=Tuttle |isbn=978-0-8048-1131-6 |oclc=1211914 }}{{page needed|date=January 2023}}</ref>

Japan, after a long period of civil wars and political disarray, was unified and at peace primarily due to {{transliteration|ja|shōgun}} [[Tokugawa Ieyasu]] (1600–1668). However, alarmed at the increasing numbers of Christians within the country due to the proselytizing efforts of Christian missionaries, he cut off contact from Japan to Europe and China and outlawed Christianity. When peace did come, a flourish of cultural influence and growing merchant class demanded its own entertainment. The first form of theatre to flourish was Ningyō jōruri (commonly referred to as [[Bunraku]]). The founder of and main contributor to Ningyō jōruri, [[Chikamatsu Monzaemon]] (1653–1725), turned his form of theatre into a true art form. Ningyō jōruri is a highly stylized form of theatre using puppets, today about {{frac|1|3rd}} the size of a human. The men who control the puppets train to become master puppeteers, when they can then operate the puppet's head and right arm and choose to show their faces during the performance. The other puppeteers, controlling the less important limbs of the puppet, cover themselves and their faces in a black suit, to imply their invisibility. The dialogue is handled by a single person, who uses varied tones of voice and speaking manners to simulate different characters. Chikamatsu wrote thousands of plays during his lifetime, most of which are still used today.{{citation needed|date=January 2023}}

[[Kabuki]] began shortly after Bunraku, legend has it by an actress named Okuni, who lived around the end of the 16th century. Most of kabuki's material came from Noh and Bunraku, and its erratic dance-type movements are also an effect of Bunraku. However, kabuki is less formal and more distant than Noh, yet very popular among the Japanese public. Actors are trained in many varied things including dancing, singing, pantomime, and even acrobatics. Kabuki was first performed by young girls, then by young boys, and by the end of the 16th century, kabuki companies consisted of all men. The men who portrayed women on stage were specifically trained to elicit the essence of a woman in their subtle movements and gestures.{{citation needed|date=January 2023}}