Commercialization of Traditional Performing Arts in Mainland China: A Case Study of Deyunshe

Abstract

China celebrated the 70th anniversary of its founding in 2019, and this has triggered heightened imagination towards traditional Chinese arts and culture. In the same year, its Ministry of Culture and Tourism rolled out a comprehensive plan to conserve traditional artforms by promoting active revitalization. This exploratory research investigates the possible strategies, as well as areas of contention, in commercializing traditional performing arts, specifically, Chinese crosstalk. An in-depth case study of well-known Chinese crosstalk company, Deyunshe, is carried out. Case study involves in-depth investigations and the eventual understanding of real-world situations and phenomena. Deyunshe is one of the very few established Chinese crosstalk companies in China dedicated to revitalizing the art form. Research outcomes show that Deyunshe has been successful in revitalizing and commercializing Chinese crosstalk with its effective product, place, price, people, and physical evidence strategies. This in turn creates a viable model for traditional performing arts in China, crosstalk or otherwise, to be revitalized and made marketable. Nevertheless, the over-revitalization/commercialization of traditional performing arts may also result in the subordination of the artistic values of the artforms.