Study of Field Culture of Chenhe Opera Troupes in Xiushan

Abstract

This study aims to explore the universal rule of Chenhe opera troupes’ cultural development after a century of vicissitudes by classifying their field culture. Theoretical research and field study are mainly combined and applied in the study of Chenhe opera troupes. Through the investigation, the study shows that the existence of theatrical troupes is built in a well-connected network of the secular society and endowed with a certain stability, limited by the “habitus” of people. With the relationships and soil of such a field culture, there runs a bloodline identical to the traditional thoughts of habitus like the birth, development and death of traditional culture has its inherent law. Based on the analysis of three types of field culture, we find that habitus has constantly influenced and contained the development of field culture. We are expecting to provide a certain direction for researchers exploring traditional cultures in other domains.