About Us

Chinese Oral and Performing Literature (CHINOPERL) (中國演唱文藝研究會) is an organization that is devoted to the research, analysis and interpretation of oral and performing traditions, broadly defined, and their relationship to China's culture and society. Its membership -- including life members -- consists of scholars in the humanities and the social sciences who recognize the significance of oral performance to Chinese literature and culture.

The full name of the organization is the Permanent Conference on Chinese Oral and Performing Literature, abbreviated as CHINOPERL. It was founded in 1969 by a group of eminent scholars, such as Yuen Ren Chao 趙元任, 1892-1982; Harold Shadick, 1915-1992, and Cyril Birch, 1925- , who recognized the uniqueness and the significance of oral performance to Chinese literature. The purpose of the association is to encourage the recording, study, and practice of traditional forms of Chinese literature that are primarily oral, such as storytelling, opera, ceremonial chanting, and folksongs, as well as those that have traditionally been enhanced by singing and intoning. The very important topic of the interplay between oral and written texts has always been central to the journal. Since 1982, various modern genres, such as spoken drama, new musical plays, cinema, and television plays, have been added to the scope of scholarly research and publication by CHINOPERL.

It was the noted linguist, Yuen Ren Chao who coined the acronym, CHINOPERL, from CHINese Oral and PERforming Literature. The First CHINOPERL conference was held on 31 March and 1 April 1969 at Cornell University. The twenty scholars who attended were CHINOPERL's founding members. CHINOPERL is incorporated in the United States and has an international membership. CHINOPERL publishes a journal — CHINOPERL: Journal of Chinese Oral and Performing Literature (a list of the content of back volumes is available) — and holds a conference each year at which papers are presented and ideas exchanged in conjunction with the Association for Asian Studies.

CHINOPERL celebrated its 50th anniversary at the 2019 CHINOPERL Conference, which included heartwarming reminiscences by past CHINOPERL presidents, Professors Bell Yung and Joseph Lam, as well as remembrances of, and tributes to, CHINOPERL's founding members.

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关于我们


CHINOPERL(中国口传暨表演文学学会或中国演唱文艺研究会)是一个致力于研究、分析和阐释广义上的口头表演传统及其与中国文化和社会的关系的学术组织。我们学会的成员——包括终身会员——由人文和社会科学领域的世界各地的学者组成。

CHINOPERL由一批著名学者(如赵元任Yuen Ren Chao,1892-1982; Harold Shadick,1915-1992 和 Cyril Birch,1925-)于1969年创立,他们认识到口头表演对中国文学的独特性和重要性。该协会的目的是鼓励以口头形式为主的中国传统文学形式的记录、研究和实践,例如讲故事、歌剧、仪式诵经和民歌,以及那些传统上通过歌唱来增强的文学形式。咏唱、口头和书面文本之间的相互作用这一非常重要的话题一直是期刊的核心。 1982年起,CHINOPERL将话剧、音乐剧、电影、电视剧等多种现代体也裁纳入学术研究和出版范围。

CHINOPERL是著名的语言学家赵元任从Chinsese Oral and Performing Literature的英文全称中创造的字母缩写词。第一届 CHINOPERL 会议于 1969 年 3 月 31 日和 4 月 1 日在康乃尔大学举行。与会的二十位学者是 CHINOPERL 的创始成员。 CHINOPERL在美国注册成立,是一个国际性的学术组织。 CHINOPERL 出版期刊——CHINOPERL: Journal of Chinese Oral and Performing Literature(请看各期内容列表)——并每年举办一次国际学术会议,(常与亚洲研究学会年会同期举行)。

CHINOPERL 在 2019 年 的学术年会上庆祝其成立 50 周年,其中包括 CHINOPERL 前任主席Bell Yung和Joseph Lam的感人回忆,以及对 CHINOPERL 创始成员的纪念和致敬。

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