Narrative Construction of Pipa Props based on Body Media in Silk Road Flower Rain
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.62051/jedss.v1n2.10Keywords:
Silk Road Flower Rain, Pipa prop, Body media, Embodied narrative, Dunhuang dance, Performance symbolismAbstract
This paper studies how the pipa prop in Silk Road Flower Rain serves as a vehicle for narrative construction through body media. The pipa is both a musical instrument and a cultural symbol in Chinese society, and it also functions as a prop used to create rhythm, stage space, visual effects, and narrative expression. The analysis shows that the props are employed to convey stories by changing the pose, motion, stability and way of use of the dancer's body. Based on studies of Dunhuang dance heritage, the cultural history of the pipa along the Silk Road, and performance theory for embodiment, this paper proposes that the pipa instrument acts as a medium for conveying mural images, stage choreography and audience interpretations. Based on the discussion so far, body-based narration may cause the audience to view props as culturally encoded performance signs rather than simply objects. In Silk Road Flower Rain, the pipa prop serves as a representative example of embodied narrative construction in Chinese dance drama.
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