![Revolutionary opera](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2b/Revolutionary_opera.jpg)
The ''Red Detachment of Women'' () is a Chinese
ballet
Ballet () is a type of performance dance that originated during the Italian Renaissance in the fifteenth century and later developed into a concert dance form in France and Russia. It has since become a widespread and highly technical form of ...
which premiered in 1964 and was made one of the
Eight Model Operas which dominated the national stage during the
Cultural Revolution
The Cultural Revolution, formally known as the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, was a sociopolitical movement in the People's Republic of China (PRC) launched by Mao Zedong in 1966, and lasting until his death in 1976. Its stated goal ...
. It is best known in the West as the ballet performed for U.S. President
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913April 22, 1994) was the 37th president of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a representative and senator from California and was ...
on his
visit to China in February 1972.
Background and development
Adapted from
the earlier 1961 film of the same title under the personal direction of
Zhou Enlai
Zhou Enlai (; 5 March 1898 – 8 January 1976) was a Chinese statesman and military officer who served as the first premier of the People's Republic of China from 1 October 1949 until his death on 8 January 1976. Zhou served under Chairman Ma ...
, which in turn adapted from the novel by Liang Xin, it depicts the liberation of a peasant girl in
Hainan Island
Hainan (, ; ) is the smallest and southernmost province of the People's Republic of China (PRC), consisting of various islands in the South China Sea. , the largest and most populous island in China,The island of Taiwan, which is slightly ...
and her rise in the
Chinese Communist Party
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP), officially the Communist Party of China (CPC), is the founding and One-party state, sole ruling party of the China, People's Republic of China (PRC). Under the leadership of Mao Zedong, the CCP emerged victoriou ...
. The novel was based on the true stories of the 100+ member strong all-female Special Company of the 2nd Independent Division of Chinese Red Army, first formed in May 1931. As the communist base in Hainan was destroyed by the nationalists, most of the members of the female detachment survived, partially because they were women and easier to hide among the local populace who were sympathetic to their cause. After the communist victory in China, the representatives of the surviving members were taken to
Beijing
}
Beijing ( ; ; ), alternatively romanized as Peking ( ), is the capital of the People's Republic of China. It is the center of power and development of the country. Beijing is the world's most populous national capital city, with over 21 ...
and personally inspected and praised by
Mao Zedong
Mao Zedong pronounced ; also romanised traditionally as Mao Tse-tung. (26 December 1893 – 9 September 1976), also known as Chairman Mao, was a Chinese communist revolutionary who was the founder of the People's Republic of China (PRC) ...
. In 2014, Lu Yexiang, the last member of red detachment of women, died in
Qionghai
Qionghai, or in local Hainanese dialect as Kheng Hai, is one of the seven county-level cities of Hainan province, China. Although Administrative divisions of China#Ambiguity of the word "city" in China, called a "city", Qionghai refers to a large ...
, Hainan.
The ballet was later adapted to a
Beijing opera in 1964, and as with the ballet itself, both stage and film versions were produced. The 1970
film version
A film adaptation is the transfer of a work or story, in whole or in part, to a feature film. Although often considered a type of derivative work, film adaptation has been conceptualized recently by academic scholars such as Robert Stam as a dia ...
of the ballet made
Xue Jinghua (as Wu Qinghua) and
Liu Qingtang (as Hong Changqing) superstars along with a dozen other artists who were cast as protagonists in other model plays of the time. It is one of the so-called
eight model plays
In People's Republic of China (1949–), revolutionary operas or model operas (Simplified Chinese: ''yangban xi'', 样板戏) were a series of shows planned and engineered during the Cultural Revolution (1966–1976) by Jiang Qing, the wife of ...
in China during the
Cultural Revolution
The Cultural Revolution, formally known as the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, was a sociopolitical movement in the People's Republic of China (PRC) launched by Mao Zedong in 1966, and lasting until his death in 1976. Its stated goal ...
(1966–1976). With ''
The White Haired Girl
''The White-Haired Girl'' () is a Chinese opera, ballet, (later adapted to Beijing Opera and a film) by Yan Jinxuan to a Chinese libretto by He Jingzhi and Ding Yi. The folklore of the white-haired girl is believed to have spread widely in the a ...
'', it is regarded as a revolutionary Chinese ballet, and its music is familiar to almost every Chinese person who grew up during that time. It was made into
a film in 1972 again, and is now part of the permanent repertoire of the
National Ballet of China
The National Ballet of China (NBC), known in China as the Central Ballet Troupe was founded on 31 December 1959. It is the national ballet company of the People's Republic of China.
The ballet company works from the Tianqiao Theater, this was sp ...
. It remains a favorite of music and ballet lovers nearly 30 years after the Cultural Revolution in China. It is often performed for international women's day.
It was collaboratively created by: with music by
Du Mingxin,
Wu Zuqiang,
Wang Yanqiao
Wang may refer to:
Names
* Wang (surname) (王), a common Chinese surname
* Wāng (汪), a less common Chinese surname
* Titles in Chinese nobility
* A title in Korean nobility
* A title in Mongolian nobility
Places
* Wang River in Thaila ...
,
Shi Wanchun and
Dai Hongwei, and choreography by
Li Chengxiang
Li Chengxiang (; 1 October 1931 – 14 December 2018) was a Chinese ballet dancer, choreographer and educator. He was best known as one of the choreographers of '' Red Detachment of Women'', one of the most influential ballets of China. He served ...
,
Jiang Zuhui and
Wang Xixian. Many numbers were based on the folk songs of Hainan Island, a place that, with its coconut trees rustling in tropical wind, evokes much romantic ethos. Though there are unmistakable elements of Chinese music, the music of this ballet was performed with basically a Western symphony orchestra.
On 25 December 2015 Chinese Choreographer
Wen Hui
Wen Hui (birth and death years unknown), courtesy name Manji, was an official who lived during the late Eastern Han dynasty and Three Kingdoms period of China. He held various positions under the Han government, including county/commandery admi ...
, the German Director and Dramaturge
Kai Tuchmann, and the author
Zhuang Jiayun premiered their work ''RED'' at the Power Station of Art in Shanghai. ''RED'' is a reinterpretation of ''The Red Detachment of Women'' and it analyses this model opera/ballet as a politico-cultural symbol that became part of the collective consciousness during the Cultural Revolution. Since its premiere in China, ''RED'' is touring around Asia and Europe.
Synopsis
![Panel Discussion about Red Detatchment of Women Film 033](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b0/Panel_Discussion_about_Red_Detatchment_of_Women_Film_033.JPG)
:Place: Yelinzhai ("Stronghold of the coconut woods"), Hainan Island, China
:Time: The
Ten-Year Civil War (1927-1937)
Main Characters:
*Hong Changqing,
Commissar of the Red Detachment of Women
*Wu Qinghua, daughter of a
peasant
A peasant is a pre-industrial agricultural laborer or a farmer with limited land-ownership, especially one living in the Middle Ages under feudalism and paying rent, tax, fees, or services to a landlord. In Europe, three classes of peasants ...
, later a soldier, and finally the Commissar
*Lian Zhang, literally the
Company Commander
A company commander is the commanding officer of a company, a military unit which typically consists of 100 to 250 soldiers, often organized into three or four smaller units called platoons. The exact organization of a company varies by countr ...
*Xiao Pang, or "Little Pang," the
Messenger
*Nanbatian, literally "the
Tyrant
A tyrant (), in the modern English usage of the word, is an absolute ruler who is unrestrained by law, or one who has usurped a legitimate ruler's sovereignty. Often portrayed as cruel, tyrants may defend their positions by resorting to rep ...
of the South"
*Ou Guangsi (Lao Si), Nanbatian's Lackey
Prologue
In his dungeon, Nanbatian, the despotic landlord, has imprisoned his tenants who are unable to pay their exorbitant rents. Wu Qinghua, daughter of a poor peasant, is chained to a column. Lao Si comes with the order of Nanbatian to sell Wu. Lao Si releases Wu from the chain. While Lao Si is in an unguarded moment, Wu kicks him, and he loses his balance and falls. Wu manages to escape while two other inmates hold Lao Si to the ground.
Major numbers:
* ''Pas de deux'' of two inmates
Act I
Immediately after the prologue. Night has fallen in the
coconut
The coconut tree (''Cocos nucifera'') is a member of the palm tree family ( Arecaceae) and the only living species of the genus ''Cocos''. The term "coconut" (or the archaic "cocoanut") can refer to the whole coconut palm, the seed, or the ...
forest and Wu Qinghua is desperately running away from Lao Si and his lackeys. She is soon recaptured. Nanbatian and his entourage arrive. The Tyrant whips Wu until she loses consciousness. A
thunderstorm
A thunderstorm, also known as an electrical storm or a lightning storm, is a storm characterized by the presence of lightning and its acoustic effect on the Earth's atmosphere, known as thunder. Relatively weak thunderstorms are someti ...
approaches, so Nanbatian and his followers leave and Wu is left for dead.
Hong Changqing, the Commissar, and Xiao Pang, the Messenger, who are on a
reconnaissance
In military operations, reconnaissance or scouting is the exploration of an area by military forces to obtain information about enemy forces, terrain, and other activities.
Examples of reconnaissance include patrolling by troops (skirmisher ...
mission in disguise, pass by. They save Wu and point her the way to the camp of the
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army (Russian: Рабо́че-крестья́нская Кра́сная армия),) often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic and, after ...
.
Major numbers:
* Dance of Lao Si and his lackeys
* Wu Qinghua's Solo No. 1
* Wu Qinghua's fight with Lao Si
* Wu Qinghua's fight with Nanbatian
* Group dance of slaves
* Wu Qinghua's Solo No. 2
* ''Pas de trois'' of Hong Changqing, Wu Qinghua and Xiao Pang
Act II
In the camp of the Red Army beside the
Wanquan River
The Wanquan River () is the third longest river in Hainan Province, China, and is 162 km long. It rises in the Wuzhi Mountain, and flows generally northeast turbulently in a narrow route through mountainous regions. About half way downstream, ...
, a newly formed Detachment of Women is being trained. Wu Qinghua arrives to meet Hong Changqing and Xiao Pang, who introduce her to others. In a solo dance, Wu tells the Red Army soldiers the enormity of Nanbatian's crimes. She then ceremoniously receives a rifle and is accepted as a member of the Women's Detachment. With determination, they plan to liberate the peasants and slave girls under the oppression of Nanbatian.
Major numbers:
* Group dance of the Detachment members
* Rifle drill of the Detachment members
* Hong Changqing's bayonet dance
* Group bayonet dance of the Detachment members
* A young women soldier's solo
* Five-inch dagger dance of the Red Guards
* Group dance of all
* Wu Qinghua's solo
Act III
In the luxurious
manor of Nanbatian, an extravagant birthday celebration for the Tyrant is going on in the garden before his house. Mountains of gifts are brought in; visitors are arriving,
Li girls are driven in with whips at their backs to dance for the guests.
Hong Changqing, disguised as a wealthy merchant from southeast
Asia
Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an area ...
, arrives on the scene, calm and dignified, to congratulate Nanbatian on his birthday. Meanwhile, the members of the Women's Detachment have secretly gathered around the manor of the Tyrant. It has been agreed that Hong is to fire his gun at midnight as signal for the Detachment to break in to wipe out the Tyrant and his gang in one fell swoop.
At night, all people recede into the houses. Nanbatian comes out to see some of his guests off. Overcome by deep personal hatred, Wu Qinghua shoots Nanbatian, prematurely issuing the battle signal. Nanbatian is merely wounded and escapes from a secret tunnel with a few of his lackeys.
Nanbatian's prisons are opened, and the prisoners are liberated. Hong leads them in opening the granary of the Tyrant and distributing the grain.
Wu is reprimanded for her blunder, and her gun is removed from her.
Major numbers:
* Group dance of slaves
* ''Li'' Girls' dance
* Broadsword dance of Nanbatian's lackeys
* Xiao Pang's solo
* ''Pas de deux'' of Wu Qinghua and her comrade-in-arm
* Opening the granary and distributing grain
Act IV
Back in the camp of the Red Army. Hong Changqing, the Commissar, is giving a lecture to the soldiers in the early morning. Wu Qinghua comes to grips with her mistake. Hong and the Company Commander are pleased to see Wu's progress. The Company Commander returns the gun to her, and together they practice marksmanship and grenade throwing.
The local people visit the Red Army and present them with ''
douli''s and
lichee
Lychee (US: ; UK: ; ''Litchi chinensis''; ) is a monotypic taxon and the sole member in the genus ''Litchi'' in the soapberry family, ''Sapindaceae''.
It is a tropical tree native to Southeast and Southwest China (the Guangdong, Fujian, Yun ...
s.
Suddenly, the sound of cannons is heard and Xiao Pang, the Messenger, arrives on horseback with the information that Nanbatian has assembled a large number of troops, and they are on their way to attack the base of the Red Army. The members of the Detachment immediately bid goodbye to their dear ones and set out to the battle field.
Major numbers:
* Hong Changqing's solo
* Group dance of the soldiers
* Wu Qinghua's solo
* ''Pas de deux'' of Wu Qinghua and Company Commander No. 1
* Dance of five female soldiers and the head cook
* ''Douli'' Dance
* ''Pas de deux'' of Wu Qinghua and Company Commander No. 2
* Dance of Hong Changqing and male soldiers
* Group dance of all
Act V
On the battlefield at a mountain pass. In order to annihilate the enemy's effective power, the main force of the Red Army strategically shifts to the rear of the enemy, and the Company Commander leads most of the members of the Detachment in moving away with the main force. Hong Changqing and a small group of Red Army soldiers and Red Guards form a covering force to divert the enemy. After a series of fierce fights, the goal is achieved.
As they prepare to withdraw, the enemy starts yet another attack. Hong gives his portfolio to Wu Qinghua and orders her and other members to retreat while he and only two other soldiers stay behind to fend off the enemy.
Hong's two comrades-in-arms are killed and he himself is captured.
Major numbers:
* Dance of Wu Qinghua and other soldiers
* Wu Qinghua's fight with an enemy
* Fight between two soldiers and two enemies
* Red flag dance
* Dance of Hong Changqing and two comrades-in-arm
* Dance of Hong Changqing and two enemies
Entr'acte
The main force of the Red Army is pressing forward with the momentum of an avalanche. Their group dance.
A memorable moment in the entr'acte is the precisely synchronized ''grand jete'' of the Red Army soldiers crossing the stage in a seemingly endless line, vividly suggesting they are as fast as an arrow flying in the air.
Major numbers:
* Group dance of the Red Army soldiers
* Sequence of synchronized ''grand jeté''
Act VI
In the lair of the Tyrant, Nanbatian and his lackeys are panic-stricken knowing that their end is approaching. The Tyrant runs out all his means to force Hong Changqing to surrender, but the Commissar vehemently denounces the enemy. Nanbatian threatens Hong with death, but the hero remains steadfast. At the end, Hong is burnt in a horrid fire under the giant banyan tree amidst a chorus of the
Internationale
"The Internationale" (french: "L'Internationale", italic=no, ) is an international anthem used by various communist and socialist groups; currently, it serves as the official anthem of the Communist Party of China. It has been a standard of th ...
, and he dies a martyr's death.
The main force of the Red Army has won their battle with the enemy. They storm the hideout of the Tyrant and kill him and his lackeys.
The Red Army emancipates Nanbatian's prisoners and Yelinzhai is liberated.
Wu Qinghua and the Company Commander look everywhere for Hong and find the truth. They all kneel in front of the place where Hong has died to pay their respects to the hero.
The Red Army Battalion Commander announces that Wu will succeed Hong as the Commissar of the Women's Detachment. Wu takes over Hong's portfolio, and she and her comrades-in-arm will continue their revolutionary cause.
Major numbers:
* Dance of Nanbatian and Lao Si
* Hong Changqing's solo
* Hong Changqing dying a martyr's death
* Red Army's assault on Nanbatian's lair
* Celebration of liberation
* ''Pas de deux'' of Wu Qinghua and Company Commander
* Mourning the martyr
* Group dance and the ''
tableau vivant
A (; often shortened to ; plural: ), French for "living picture", is a static scene containing one or more actors or models. They are stationary and silent, usually in costume, carefully posed, with props and/or scenery, and may be theatrica ...
'' at the end
In popular culture
Images of dancers performing ''The Red Detachment of Women'' appear as a theme in the work of visual artists
Hung Liu
Hung Liu (劉虹) (17 February 1948 – 7 August 2021) was a Chinese Americans, Chinese-born American contemporary artist. She was predominantly a painter, but also worked with mixed-media and site-specific installation and was also one of the f ...
, who grew up in Changchun China but settled in Oakland California. The French film ''The Chinese in Paris'' has a six minute long "play-within-a-play", that hybridizes the ballet ''The Red Detachment of Women'' with the French opera ''Carmen'', calling the production "Carmeng".
See also
*
List of ballets by title
__NOTOC__
The following is a list of ballets with entries in English Wikipedia. The entries are sorted alphabetically by ballet title, with the name of the composer (or the composer whose music the ballet is set to) and the year of the first perf ...
*
''Nixon in China'' opera
References
; Specific
; General
* Zhongguo Wuju Tuan. ''RED DETACHMENT OF WOMEN—A Modern Revolutionary Ballet''. Beijing Foreign Language Press, 1972.
* Zhongguo Wuju Tuan. ''Red Detachment of Women (Choreographic Work)''. Beijing Foreign Language Press, 1973.
* Günter Platzdasch in
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
The ''Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung'' (; ''FAZ''; "''Frankfurt General Newspaper''") is a centre-right conservative-liberal and liberal-conservativeHans Magnus Enzensberger: Alter Wein in neuen Schläuchen' (in German). ''Deutschland Radio'', ...
: Stehender Kranich im Frauenbataillon - Von Yenan nach Jena https://www.faz.net/aktuell/feuilleton/buehne-und-konzert/kunstfest-weimar-wen-huis-ballett-red-in-jena-15183178.html
External links
Youtube: ''Red Detachment of Women'' (1971, full movie, good-quality soundtrack)Archive: ''Red Detachment of Women'' (1971, full movie)YouTube: Qinghua Joins the Red Army in Act IIYouTube: Happy Soldiers in Act IVYouTube: The ''Douli'' Dance in Act IV
{{DEFAULTSORT:Red Detachment Of Women (Ballet)
Ballet in China
Propaganda in China
1964 ballet premieres
Maoist China propaganda
Hainan in fiction