A renowned Christian playwright stated that art was a way of presenting the work of the Lord in China.
Jiang Yuanlai, a folk playwright living in Shanghai, shared the significance of Christian culture and art after giving an online speech on January 16.
In the Q&A part, Jiang said that the cultural mission of native Chinese Christians is in the witness and the storytelling of the Lord’s work in China through art, paintings, music, and dramas.
Asked why believers ought to read Christian literary masterpieces and appreciate works of art, the man who is known as the “Floor Playwright” replied, “Our Christ is incarnate and the Christ we know should be true, living and lifelike. He is far more than a theological and education system summarized by a rational language and concepts - although these are the most imporאant - this is not all of Christ. The Christ whom we look up to and pray to, we can present him as someone who is lifelike, has ears and eyes. We can touch him and communicate with him.”
He added, “The 2000 years’ history of the church is also the history of Christian art. Christians need to know him and know him more clearly and concretely through great Christian art. Art can also be good hermeneutics.”
Another listener posed the question, “What is the cultural mission of native Chinese Christians? Or what is the significance of devoting time, energy, and passion into public culture ministries?”
The native of old Shanghai said, “Our cultural mission is to demonstrate the deep footsteps of the Lord in China via art, paintings, music, literature, and plays - namely, in artistic, cultural, visual, and narrative ways. We should describe his beautiful feet and the beautiful feet of his children who are led by him.”
He stated, “This is also the indigenous narrative interpretation, the most precious home-grown Christian art and the greatest promising Chinese Christian culture...”
Once sent to a remote village of Heilongjiang Province and settling down there for over three years, he worked in the municipal government and research institute for environmental planning and field environmental research in scenic spots and nature reserves after graduating from college, according to US-China Music Institute of the Bard College Conservatory of Music.
“He converted to Christianity in the 1980s, then abandoned his previous professional achievements and embarked on a career in folk culture. Jiang began his drama writing from the end of 1990s, and was recognized as one of the most important folk playwrights in the Chinese mainland by critics.”
“Jiang is known as ‘Floor Playwright’ because he was living in a tiny room during his playwriting. His representative works are four large-scale dramas: ‘Beethoven in China’, a six-scene musical drama, has been popular in Shanghai, Hong Kong and Beijing, and performed many times in the past 20 years; ‘Shakespeare in Jiaxing’, a six-scene modern drama, is a historical and ideological drama for intellectuals; ‘The Christmas Eve of Yandang Mountai’”, a six-scene church epic, was once performed in a Beijing Church as a tribute to commemorate Robert Morrison’s coming to China 200 years ago; and his latest work, “Lanlin Easter”, a six-scene drama.”
- Translated by Karen Luo
1月16日，上海的知名民间剧作家姜原来受邀作为嘉宾，在一场有关基督徒文化艺术主题的网络分享。在回答观众的提问中，姜原来分享到艺术对于释经的重要意义，以及中国本土基督徒的文化使命就是可以用艺术、美术、音乐、戏剧见证和讲述主在中华大地的工作。
有观众问到：“不是圣经上说依靠神就好了么，为什么还要读名著、读艺术家的作品呢？”这位被誉为“打地铺的剧作家”的嘉宾回答说：“我们的基督是道成肉身的基督，我们认识的基督也应该是又真又活的、有血有肉的基督。他绝不仅仅是一套用理性的语言、用抽象的概念概括的神学和教育系统——尽管这是最重要的——但是这不是基督的全部。我们仰望的、祈祷的、与我们同在的基督也是有血有肉的，有听觉的、有视觉的，也让我们能够抚摸的，让我们可以和他共同交流的基督。”
“2000年的基督教会史也是2000年的基督文化史。基督徒需要在伟大的基督教艺术中去认识他，更清晰具象的认识他。艺术也可以做很好的释经。”
随后有观众提问说：“您认为中国本土基督徒的文化使命是什么？或者说基督徒把时间、精力和热情放在公共文化事工上的意义究竟在哪里？”
对此，姜原来分享说：“我们的文化使命就是用艺术、美术、音乐、文学和戏剧——也就是用艺术的、文化的、形象的、叙事的方法——来讲述主在中华大地深处，他深深地行（走）着。我们要描述主早就走遍中华大地，他美好的脚踪和他带领他儿女的美好的脚踪。”
“这也是本土的叙事释经，这是最珍贵的本土的基督教艺术，这也是最有希望的未来的中国的基督教文化.....”
姜原来，上海人，曾去黑龙江偏僻乡村“插队落户”三年多，大学毕业后长期在政府和研究所从事风景区自然保护区环境规划和野外环境科研等工作。上世纪八十年代成为基督徒，九十年代初进入民间文化基督教文化领域，先是协助其母创办闻名沪上的微型书店“马槽书店”，后主办被誉为当时“上海唯一大型民间公益文化沙龙”的马槽沙龙、与一批青年朋友创办“马槽剧社”、倡导“走进历史现场”在多地举办大量“马槽历史文化考察”——这些活动皆成为公共文化奇观。常受邀在公共领域举办基督教文学音乐讲座、曾参与创办民工期刊、担任民工艺术团顾问，创办主持跨教派文化沙龙“广学沙龙”；其在各地神学院校的二十年大型讲学课程《文化与基督》成为许多院校“最受神学生欢迎的课程”（此课程内容整理的大型专著即将出版）。九十年代末开始创作，被认为是中国大陆最重要的基督徒剧作家之一，人称“打地铺的剧作家”。
基督徒剧作家姜原来分享：艺术也可以做很好的释经
A renowned Christian playwright stated that art was a way of presenting the work of the Lord in China.
Jiang Yuanlai, a folk playwright living in Shanghai, shared the significance of Christian culture and art after giving an online speech on January 16.
In the Q&A part, Jiang said that the cultural mission of native Chinese Christians is in the witness and the storytelling of the Lord’s work in China through art, paintings, music, and dramas.
Asked why believers ought to read Christian literary masterpieces and appreciate works of art, the man who is known as the “Floor Playwright” replied, “Our Christ is incarnate and the Christ we know should be true, living and lifelike. He is far more than a theological and education system summarized by a rational language and concepts - although these are the most imporאant - this is not all of Christ. The Christ whom we look up to and pray to, we can present him as someone who is lifelike, has ears and eyes. We can touch him and communicate with him.”
He added, “The 2000 years’ history of the church is also the history of Christian art. Christians need to know him and know him more clearly and concretely through great Christian art. Art can also be good hermeneutics.”
Another listener posed the question, “What is the cultural mission of native Chinese Christians? Or what is the significance of devoting time, energy, and passion into public culture ministries?”
The native of old Shanghai said, “Our cultural mission is to demonstrate the deep footsteps of the Lord in China via art, paintings, music, literature, and plays - namely, in artistic, cultural, visual, and narrative ways. We should describe his beautiful feet and the beautiful feet of his children who are led by him.”
He stated, “This is also the indigenous narrative interpretation, the most precious home-grown Christian art and the greatest promising Chinese Christian culture...”
Once sent to a remote village of Heilongjiang Province and settling down there for over three years, he worked in the municipal government and research institute for environmental planning and field environmental research in scenic spots and nature reserves after graduating from college, according to US-China Music Institute of the Bard College Conservatory of Music.
“He converted to Christianity in the 1980s, then abandoned his previous professional achievements and embarked on a career in folk culture. Jiang began his drama writing from the end of 1990s, and was recognized as one of the most important folk playwrights in the Chinese mainland by critics.”
“Jiang is known as ‘Floor Playwright’ because he was living in a tiny room during his playwriting. His representative works are four large-scale dramas: ‘Beethoven in China’, a six-scene musical drama, has been popular in Shanghai, Hong Kong and Beijing, and performed many times in the past 20 years; ‘Shakespeare in Jiaxing’, a six-scene modern drama, is a historical and ideological drama for intellectuals; ‘The Christmas Eve of Yandang Mountai’”, a six-scene church epic, was once performed in a Beijing Church as a tribute to commemorate Robert Morrison’s coming to China 200 years ago; and his latest work, “Lanlin Easter”, a six-scene drama.”
- Translated by Karen Luo
Christian Playwright Says Art Can be Good Hermeneutics
