Traditions and Subversions: Cultural-politics of Hong Kong Music Within and Without China
Speaker: Prof. Yu Siu Wah (Department of Music)
Date: 10 May 2013 (Fri)
Time: 4:00pm
Venue: Activities Room, 2/F, Art Museum East Wing, Institute of Chinese Studies, CUHK
Language: English
Abstract: Music, or yue in the Chinese context, has long been entwined with theories of politics and governance since its very beginning, a fact mostly neglected by students and teachers of music in Hong Kong. While censorship of subversive works of art has been witnessed in the past, politically sensitive contents survived the vigilance of the colonial government precisely because those who were responsible for the scrutiny of performing arts were relatively uninformed of the culture of post-1949 China. Such a tradition was prevalent during the pre-handover decades and some aspects of it have continued after the return of sovereignty of Hong Kong from the British to the PRC government in 1997. This talk focused on examples which are subversive within the greater Chinese context, and pertinent and provocative without.

 

traditions and subversions cultural politics1  traditions and subversions cultural politics2

 

For the powerpoint presentation of the talk, please click here.