Cosmopolitan dramaturgies from contemporary China: Li Jing's Daxiansheng

Since 2013, the female playwright Li Jing has presented to the public a number of dramatic works which number among the most discussed plays in Chinese theatre circles. This article sketches an approach to her first work, Daxiansheng, which is based, thematically, on the life and work of the modern Chinese writer Lu Xun. By focusing on dramaturgical aspects of this play, such as the material and perspective selected for the story; the interweaving of all kinds of texts; the fragmentation and reassembling of the characters; the design of various contrasting modes and atmospheres; as well as the method of participation of both author and audiences, this article foregrounds the aspects of cosmopolitan theatre displayed both by Li Jing’s work and by contemporary Chinese drama more broadly.