Xia Yan (Chinese: 夏衍; pinyin: Xià Yǎn; Wade–Giles: Hsia Yen; 30 October 1900 – 6 February 1995) was a Chinese playwright and screenwriter,[1] and China's Deputy Minister of Culture between 1954 and 1965.[2]
Among the dozens of plays and screenplays penned by Xia Yan, the most renowned include Under the Eaves of Shanghai (1937) and The Fascist Bacillus (1944). Today the Xia Yan Film Literature Award is named in his honour.
Xia entered Zhejiang Industrial School (浙江甲種工業學校 , a technical school of Zhejiang University) in 1915, five years before being sent to study in Japan. He was forced to return in 1927,[3] two years after graduating with an engineering degree.
Political careeredit
On Xia's return in 1927 — expelled by Japanese authorities for his political activity[2] — he joined the Communist Party of China and rose to become a cultural chief in the Shanghai municipality, and then Deputy Minister of Culture in 1954.
In 1961, Xia wrote an essay called "Raise Our Country's Film Art to a New Level". The essay, implicitly critical of the Great Leap Forward, called for greater autonomy for artists and more diversity within Chinese cinema. The implementation of his directives is said to have led to the achievement of a "tremendous diversity" which lasted until the Cultural Revolution.[4]
Xia is credited with introducing Soviet cinema to China,[2] and helped to establish a realist tradition that emphasised active engagement with national issues, leaving a strong legacy that continued into the post-Mao era.[5]
Xia's political career ended in 1965, when he was removed from office and spent eight years in prison during the Cultural Revolution.[2]
Notesedit
^. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 13 June 2014.
^ abcdXiao, Zhiwei (June 2002). Encyclopedia of Chinese Film. Routledge. p. 375. ISBN9781134745548.
^"Xia Yan (Chinese author)". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 13 June 2014.
^Kuoshu, Harry H. (2002). Celluloid China: Cinematic Encounters with Culture and Society. SIU Press. p. 49. ISBN9780809324569.
^Ying, Li-hua (2009). Historical Dictionary of Modern Chinese Literature. Scarecrow Press. p. 215. ISBN9780810870819.
References and further readingedit
Shen, Vivian (2013). The Origins of Leftwing Cinema in China, 1932-37. Routledge. ISBN9781135874100.
Wang, Zheng (2017). Finding Women in the State: A Socialist Feminist Revolution in the People's Republic of China, 1949-1964. Oakland: University of California Press. ISBN9780520292291..
Xia, Yan (2014). "Under Shanghai Eaves (1937)". In Chen, Xiaomei (ed.). The Columbia Anthology of Modern Chinese Drama. Translated by George Hayden. New York: Columbia University Press. pp. 283–333. doi:10.7312/chen16502. ISBN9780231535540. JSTOR 10.7312/chen16502.11.
External linksedit
Feature on Xia Yan in Chinese Movies
Hangzhou Former Residence of Xia Yan
April 25, 2024
playwright, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, playwright, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, dec. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Xia Yan playwright news newspapers books scholar JSTOR December 2019 Learn how and when to remove this template message Xia Yan Chinese 夏衍 pinyin Xia Yǎn Wade Giles Hsia Yen 30 October 1900 6 February 1995 was a Chinese playwright and screenwriter 1 and China s Deputy Minister of Culture between 1954 and 1965 2 Xia YanXia YanNative name夏衍BornShen Naixi 1900 10 30 30 October 1900Yuhang County ZhejiangDied6 February 1995 1995 02 06 aged 94 Beijing Hospital Beijing ChinaOccupationPlaywright screenwriter translatorLanguageChineseNationalityChineseEducationZhejiang Industrial SchoolAlma materZhejiang UniversityPeriod1935 1995GenreDrama novelNotable worksUnder the Eaves of ShanghaiThe Fascist BacillusSpouseCai Shuxin m 1930 ChildrenShen Ning daughter Shen Danhua son RelativesShen Xueshi father Xu Xiusheng mother In this Chinese name the family name is Xia Among the dozens of plays and screenplays penned by Xia Yan the most renowned include Under the Eaves of Shanghai 1937 and The Fascist Bacillus 1944 Today the Xia Yan Film Literature Award is named in his honour Contents 1 Personal life 2 Political career 3 Notes 4 References and further reading 5 External linksPersonal life editXia entered Zhejiang Industrial School 浙江甲種工業學校 a technical school of Zhejiang University in 1915 five years before being sent to study in Japan He was forced to return in 1927 3 two years after graduating with an engineering degree Political career editOn Xia s return in 1927 expelled by Japanese authorities for his political activity 2 he joined the Communist Party of China and rose to become a cultural chief in the Shanghai municipality and then Deputy Minister of Culture in 1954 In 1961 Xia wrote an essay called Raise Our Country s Film Art to a New Level The essay implicitly critical of the Great Leap Forward called for greater autonomy for artists and more diversity within Chinese cinema The implementation of his directives is said to have led to the achievement of a tremendous diversity which lasted until the Cultural Revolution 4 Xia is credited with introducing Soviet cinema to China 2 and helped to establish a realist tradition that emphasised active engagement with national issues leaving a strong legacy that continued into the post Mao era 5 Xia s political career ended in 1965 when he was removed from office and spent eight years in prison during the Cultural Revolution 2 Notes edit Xia Yan s Early Plays Archived from the original on 3 March 2016 Retrieved 13 June 2014 a b c d Xiao Zhiwei June 2002 Encyclopedia of Chinese Film Routledge p 375 ISBN 9781134745548 Xia Yan Chinese author Encyclopaedia Britannica Retrieved 13 June 2014 Kuoshu Harry H 2002 Celluloid China Cinematic Encounters with Culture and Society SIU Press p 49 ISBN 9780809324569 Ying Li hua 2009 Historical Dictionary of Modern Chinese Literature Scarecrow Press p 215 ISBN 9780810870819 References and further reading editShen Vivian 2013 The Origins of Leftwing Cinema in China 1932 37 Routledge ISBN 9781135874100 Wang Zheng 2017 Finding Women in the State A Socialist Feminist Revolution in the People s Republic of China 1949 1964 Oakland University of California Press ISBN 9780520292291 Xia Yan 2014 Under Shanghai Eaves 1937 In Chen Xiaomei ed The Columbia Anthology of Modern Chinese Drama Translated by George Hayden New York Columbia University Press pp 283 333 doi 10 7312 chen16502 ISBN 9780231535540 JSTOR 10 7312 chen16502 11 External links editFeature on Xia Yan in Chinese Movies Hangzhou Former Residence of Xia Yan Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Xia Yan playwright amp oldid 1181557031, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
