We are excited to invite you to our very first jointly held workshop! On Friday, October 26 at 4pm in CWAC 156, in collaboration with the Visual and Material Perspectives on East Asia Workshop, Peng Xu will be giving a talk entitled “The Courtesan Singer: Problems of Acoustics and Aesthetic Bifurcation.”

Please note that this is not our regular time/venue! But rest assured that the eats and drinks will be up to our usual high standards.

See you soon,
m+d

Abstract:

This paper (in the abridged form of my dissertation chapter) addresses the courtesan’s vocal art in late Ming China (1547-1644). I contextualize aesthetic problems in a sequence of historical performances and fictional presentations of singing. Concerning the sources for styles at the courtesan’s disposal, I propose two extreme models of performance: the typical late-Ming courtesan’s solo was what I call “the midnight vocal chamber music,” rendered in a pleasing-sounding and soft voice, with no string accompaniment but the mechanical beats of clappers. Contrariwise to this courtesan tradition of singing, there was also the mountain hiker’s solo (similarly, lacking stringed instrumental accompaniment), performed and listened to in natural landscapes with rich ambient noise, especially
the sound of rapid streams and waterfalls. The division of singing style, I argue, had both gendered and auditory implications. Evidence of the two styles will be assembled from the written and painted materials of the time.

The full paper can be found here, along with illustrations.

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Those needing additional assistance to attend or participate in this event should contact one of the student coordinators, Marcy Pierson (mcpierson@uchicago.edu) or Dan Wang (dyw@uchicago.edu).

If you require the password for the pre-circulated material, or if you would like to be added to the listhost, please contact Marcy or Dan. Alternatively, you may add yourself to the listhost here.