Earticle

How can Chinese goddess' characters be described and identified? In the present paper, I have examined them differentiating from Greek or Roman goddesses from the point of view based on comparative mythology. It was found that there are three distinctive characters of Chinese goddess, which are primitivity, transition, and ambiguity. In an ancient China, goddesses were worshipped as holy beings with whom a man can hardly intercourse. They were considered to be in a higher position and to have a dignity. Also a number of ancient Chinese goddesses have hybrid images, meaning that their appearances are mixtures of animals and human beings. These mysterious appearances demonstrate their first character of primitivity. Then, the authorities of Chinese goddesses gradually declined and their roles depicted in the Chinese myths reduced. Therefore, goddesses couldn't take roles as male god's spouses any more. Moreover, some goddesses had to accept their tragic fate of being transformed into male gods. However, the situation suddenly changed when Taoism became a popular religion in the Chinese society. Taoism provided an opportunity to goddesses to become worshipped again and even more prosperous ever. Images of goddesses were strongly influenced by Taoism and they had a variety of experiences and underwent transformations. First of all, their hybrid images were changed into a beautiful female Taoist, and their dignities regained. Now, the second character of the Chinese goddesses is ambiguity. In other words, their roles were not clearly specified and rather ambiguous, in contrast with Greek or Roman goddesses. Perhaps, it is because, unlike Greek or Roman goddesses, Chinese goddesses were humanized fairly late in time. They were thought to be important in maintaining harmonious relationships between human being and nature. In these days, both “sensibility" and “imagination" have been emphasized greatly than ever before. Therefore, there is no doubt that studies of Chinese goddesses and their roles can evoke potentiality of women and east Asian mythology.

본 고는 2023년 8월 필자가 敦煌에서 관람한 공연 <樂動敦煌>을 연구 대상으로 하여, 현대 중국의 공연예술에서 뉴미디어 기술을 활용하여 고대 전통문화를 재현하는 방식, 특히 돈황이라는 도시의 역사적 의미를 어떻게 재구성하는지에 초점을 맞추어 살펴본 논문이다. 필자가 공연 <樂動敦煌>을 연구하게 된 계기는, 이 공연이 중국의 정치 지향과 문화 정체성 강화와 연관되어 있고, 현대의 뉴미디어 기술로 과거의 전통문화의 가치를 현대적으로 재해석하여 연구할 만한 가치가 있다고 판단했기 때문이다. <樂動敦煌>은 2019년 중국 宣傳部의 지원과 甘肅省藝術集團의 주도로 제작된 대형 몰입형 공연이다. 이 공연은 고대 龜玆國의 음악가 蘇祇婆의 이야기를 중심으로 하며, VR, 홀로그램, LED 스크린, AI 음원 재생 등의 뉴미디어 기술을 접목하여 中西의 문화교류와 돈황의 역사적 중요성을 강조하였다. 공연은 고대 돈황이 중서 교류의 중심지로서 어떻게 예술적 융합을 이루었는지를 시청각적 체험을 통해 관객에게 생생히 전달하고 있다. 특히 관객은 전통적 관람 방식에서 벗어나 각 공간을 이동하며 체험하는 능동적인 몰입형 경험을 제공받는다. <樂動敦煌>이 중요한 의미를 갖는 이유는, 단순한 공연의 차원을 넘어선다는 데 있다. 공연의 기획 의도는 단순히 예술적 재현에 국한되지 않고, 중국의 정치, 문화적 의도를 포함한다. 시진핑 주석의 2019년 감숙성 돈황 방문과 관련 연설을 통해 드러난 바와 같이, 돈황은 고대 실크로드의 중심지이자 오늘날 ‘一帶一路’의 핵심 거점으로서 역사적 장소성을 지닌다. 시진핑 국가주석의 발언은 돈황 문화를 중국의 문화적 자신감과 민족적 통합을 나타내는 상징으로 제시하며, 中國夢 실현을 위한 국가적 문화 전략의 일환으로 돈황을 재조명하였다. <樂動敦煌>은 이러한 맥락에서 龜玆國의 음악가 蘇祇婆를 중심으로 한 이야기를 통해 민족 대통합의 서사를 전개했다. 白歆이 중원으로 이동해 中西 융합의 음악을 창작하고 중원 문화에 융화된다는 이야기는, 현대 중국이 추구하는 민족 대통합과 국가적 조화라는 정치 메시지와 맞닿아 있다. 또한 공연은 시진핑 정부가 추진하는 일대일로 정책을 문화예술로 구체화한 성공적 사례로 볼 수 있다. 공연에서 재현된 돈황은 역사적 실크로드의 중심지이자, 미래의 新 실크로드를 조성하는 일대일로 사업의 문화적 기반으로 설정된다. 결론적으로 <樂動敦煌>은 고대와 현대의 문화교류와 융합을 다루며, 공연을 통해 과거의 돈황이 지녔던 문화적 상징성과 현재의 中國夢을 연결한다. 이는 디지털 기술을 활용해 전통을 현대적 감각으로 재현함으로써 중국의 문화적 자신감을 전 세계에 과시하고, 민족적 통합을 도모하는 수단으로 기능한다. 이러한 사례는 단순한 공연 이상의 정치, 문화적 전략으로 평가되며, 디지털 기술과 전통 예술의 융합이 향후 중국의 문화산업 발전에 중요한 이정표가 될 것으로 생각된다.

This study focuses on how modern Chinese performing arts use new media technology to recreate traditional culture, specifically examining how the historical meaning of the city of Dunhuang is reconstructed. The reason for researching the performance <Yue Dong Dunhuang> stems from its connection to China's political orientation and the strengthening of cultural identity, as well as its value as an example of reinterpreting traditional culture using contemporary new media technology. <Yue Dong Dunhuang> is a large-scale immersive performance produced in 2019 with the support of the Chinese Propaganda Department and led by the Gansu Provincial Arts Group. The performance centers around the story of Sujipo, an ancient musician from the state of Kucha, and integrates VR, holograms, LED screens, and AI audio playback to highlight the cultural exchange between the East and the West and the historical significance of Dunhuang. Through vivid visual and auditory experiences, the performance demonstrates how ancient Dunhuang, as a hub for cultural exchange, achieved artistic fusion. The audience engages in an active, immersive experience, moving between different spaces, breaking away from traditional viewing methods. The significance of <Yue Dong Dunhuang> lies in its transcendence beyond a mere performance. Its conceptual purpose extends beyond artistic recreation, incorporating China's political and cultural intentions. As reflected in President Xi Jinping's speech during his 2019 visit to Gansu Province, Dunhuang serves as a historical center of the Silk Road and, today, holds importance as a key location in the Belt and Road Initiative. Xi's remarks positioned Dunhuang culture as a symbol of Chinese cultural confidence and ethnic integration, highlighting it as part of a national cultural strategy aimed at realizing the "Chinese Dream." <Yue Dong Dunhuang> develops a narrative of national unity through the story of Sujipo, the musician from Kucha. The tale of Bai Xin moving to central China, creating a blend of East-West music, and integrating into Chinese culture reflects the political message of national harmony and unity pursued by modern China. Additionally, the performance exemplifies how the Belt and Road Initiative is brought to life through cultural arts. Dunhuang, as depicted in the performance, represents not only a historical center of the Silk Road but also serves as the cultural foundation for the future establishment of a new Silk Road under the Belt and Road Initiative. In conclusion, <Yue Dong Dunhuang> deals with the themes of cultural exchange and integration between the past and the present, linking the symbolic cultural heritage of ancient Dunhuang with the current vision of the "Chinese Dream." By utilizing digital technology to recreate tradition with a modern perspective, it showcases China's cultural confidence on a global stage and functions as a means to promote national unity. This example goes beyond a simple performance to be evaluated as a political and cultural strategy, suggesting that the fusion of digital technology and traditional arts will serve as an important milestone in the future development of China's cultural industry.