yangbanxi

yangbanxi, form of Chinese entertainment that flourished during the Cultural Revolution (1966–76). The works combined elements of traditional Chinese dramas, particularly jingxi (Beijing opera or Peking opera), with modern Western drama to treat contemporary topics and feature proletarian protagonists. The yangbanxi are known as the “eight model works.” They include five jingxi: Hongdengji (performed 1964; “The Story of Red Lantern”), Zhiqu weihushan (performed 1964; “Taking Tiger Mountain by Strategy”), Shajiabang (performed 1965; “Shajia Village”), Haigang (performed 1964; “On the Docks”), and Qixi baihutuan (performed 1964; “Raid on the White Tiger Regiment”); two ballets, Hongse niangzijun (performed 1964; “The Red Detachment of Women”) and Baimao nü (performed 1965; “The White-Haired Girl”); and a symphony, Shajiabang (composed and performed 1965), based on the jingxi of that name. Later examples following these models were known as yangban zuopin (“model works”). The plays were later filmed in Technicolor, and beginning in the 1990s some of them were revived for the stage in Beijing, Shanghai, and other cities. Many songs from this genre remained popular in the 21st century.