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Abstract

This dissertation, “Accidental Encounters: A Journey of Developing the Subjectivity of Taiwan’s Contemporary Xiqu Forms,” examines how three non-indigenous traditional Chinese theater forms—jingju (Peking opera), yuju (Henan opera), and kunqu (Kun opera)—developed unique trajectories after their transplantation to Taiwan. It explores how Taiwan’s emergence as a vibrant cultural environment over the past century has shaped the global presence and evolving interpretations of xiqu. Moving beyond conventional nationalist historiographies and text-centric analyses, this research employs performance analysis, interviews with actors, and archival work to trace the fluid cultural evolution of these xiqu forms. In doing so, it challenges entrenched notions of Chineseness, authenticity, and timeless tradition commonly associated with Chinese opera. Instead, it reveals that Taiwan’s political, economic, and social transformations—combined with linguistic diversity, cultural heterogeneity, and exposure to Westernization—have reshaped these imported forms. Jingju, yuju, and kunqu in Taiwan thus stand not as static cultural relics but as dynamic, adaptive genres that engage in continuous negotiation with their environment. The findings highlight that xiqu’s hybridity and transnational potential undermine the idea of a fixed, monolithic “Chinese” identity. Taiwan’s recontextualization of these forms opens new possibilities for understanding them as globally relevant performing arts rather than as artifacts confined to a single cultural or geographical frame. By foregrounding their capacity for reinvention, this dissertation illuminates how xiqu’s aesthetic and cultural significance can transcend the constraints of rigid East/West binaries and nationalist claims, thereby contributing to ongoing discussions of decolonization, cultural hybridization, and global performative exchange.