Tradition in Motion-The Status and Identity of Amateur Beiguan Opera and Music Communities [Zidi] in Modern Taiwanese Society

Traditional beiguan opera (and its music) has been performed for over three hundred years in Taiwanese society. It is still performed to this day. During this time, the music’s character and its eco-system have been in constant change, due to its multi-cultural and hybrid nature. Its development has also been influenced over time by environmental effects. The identities of beiguan communities have altered under the influences of shifting social and governmental pressures. Several questions are apparent: how can traditional modes of performance sustain their original values and identities while society moves into modernity? How can the beiguan subculture remain relevant, by finding new niches within the shifting cultural landscape?

This thesis examines the formation of beiguan culture long before 1960 and compares it with beiguan’s contemporary situation in order to investigate changes in performance and community identities. Comparison will be presented in the form of fieldwork and theoretical analyses. We will focus on several beiguan communities selected from folk groups (both professional troupes and amateur clubs) and their related government organisations (such as the education system), in order to trace the trajectories of phenomena connected with these changes. Possibilities for culture conservation in the future will also be suggested.

The approach outlined in this thesis may be used to survey the development of traditional beiguan music. What kind of changes could be accepted by people within the process of transition, from emphasising the authentic and traditional to a more innovative outlook? How do people position themselves on the dynamic continuum between tradition and innovation? In what position do we find traditional music after it has been affected by globalisation? Answering these questions will help us explore and discover different potential methods for maintaining beiguan’s cultural heritage. By reviewing policymaking and cross-disciplinary collaboration, a new range of values may present itself, as well as a new sense of belonging, to enhance the development of the identity of the beiguan community.