Thai 孔剧, a treasure of Thai traditional culture, integrates diverse artistic forms such as dance, music, poetry, painting, martial arts, and shadow puppets. It is renowned as the most splendid dance drama art in Thailand, fully exhibiting the unique charm and profound heritage of Thai culture. Its history can be traced back to the Ayutthaya Kingdom, also known as the Great City Kingdom, in the 16th century, and it has been handed down for over 400 years. During the glorious era of the Ayutthaya Kingdom, 孔剧 was an important form of court entertainment, winning the favor of the royalty and the public with its exquisite performing arts. It is worth mentioning that 孔剧 stands alone with only one classic script – “Ramakian.” This play is based on the ancient and well-known Thai story “Ramakian,” which, although derived from the Indian epic “Ramayana,” has developed unique plotlines under the influence of Thai local culture, profoundly reflecting the values and morality of Thai society. Similarly, in China, Peking Opera, as one of the national treasures, also possesses a long history and profound influence. With nearly 200 years of development, Peking Opera has emerged on the international art stage with its unique performance style and artistic charm, earning it a reputation as one of the three major theater systems in the world. The artistic characteristics of Peking Opera lie in its extensiveness and profundity, appealing to both refined and popular tastes, incorporating the essence of traditional Chinese culture, and forming a unique performance system. Among them, “White Snake” is a classic work of Peking Opera, deeply loved by the audience. Although “Ramakian” and “White Snake” belong to different countries' theatrical works, they share similarities in plot and theme. The heroines of the two plays, Sita and Bai Suzhen, have become paragons in their respective national cultures due to their virtuous and loyal qualities, embodying people’s unwavering pursuit of virtue and purity. At the same time, the joys and sorrows they experience in the plots also profoundly reflect the societal examination and oppression of women at that time. These two plays showcase the noble qualities and tenacious spirits of the characters through exquisite performing arts, provoking deep reflection among the audience on social values. By conducting a comparative study of Thai 孔剧’s “Ramakian” and Chinese Peking Opera's "White Snake," we can not only glimpse the artistic styles and creative features of theater under different cultural backgrounds but also delve into the commonalities and differences between the two plays in terms of thematic expression, character portrayal, and social value embodiment. This cross-cultural comparative study of theater contributes to deepening our understanding and cognition of traditional theatrical arts in different countries, promoting the exchange and inheritance of theatrical cultures between Thailand and China, and providing wisdom and strength for the in-depth development of cross-cultural exchanges and cooperation.
泰国孔剧作为泰国传统文化的瑰宝，集舞蹈、音乐、诗歌、绘画、武术及皮影等多元艺术形式于一体，被誉为泰国最绚丽的舞剧艺术，淋漓尽致地展现了泰国文 化的独特韵味与深厚底蕴。其历史可追溯至16世纪阿瑜陀耶王朝，即大城王朝时期，流传绵延至今已逾四百年。在阿瑜陀耶王朝的辉煌时代，孔剧曾是宫廷娱乐的重要形式，以其精致的表演艺术赢得了皇室与民众的喜爱。值得一提的是，孔剧独树一帜，仅有一部经典剧本——《拉玛坚》。此剧取材自泰国家喻户晓的古老故事《拉玛坚》，《拉玛坚》虽源自印度史诗《罗摩衍那》，却在泰国本土文化的熏陶下，衍生出别具一格的故事情节，深刻反映了泰国社会的价值观与道德观。无独有偶，在中国，京剧作为国粹之一，同样拥有着悠久的历史与深远的影响。京剧自孕育至今已近二百年，凭借其独特的表演风格与艺术魅力，在国际艺术舞台上崭露头角，被誉为世界三大戏剧体系之一。京剧的艺术特色在于其博大精深、雅俗共赏，融合了中华民族传统文化的精髓，形成了独树一帜的表演体系。其中，《白蛇传》便是京剧中的经典之作，深受观众喜爱。《拉玛坚》与《白蛇传》虽分属不同国家的戏剧作品，却在剧情与主题上相似。两部剧中的女主角——悉多与白素贞，均以其贤淑善良、忠贞不渝的品质成为各自国家文化中的典范，体现了人们对美德与纯洁的不懈追求。同时，她们在戏剧情节中经历的悲欢离合，也深刻反映了当时社会对女性的审视与压迫。这两部剧作通过精湛的表演艺术，展现了人物的崇高品质与坚韧精神，引发了观众对社会价值的深思。通过对泰国孔剧《拉玛坚》与中国京剧《白蛇传》的对比研究，我们不仅可以一窥不同文化背景下的戏剧艺术风貌与创作特色，更能深入探讨两部剧作在主题表达、人物形象塑造及社会价值体现等方面的共同性与差异性。这种跨文化的戏剧比较研究，有助于深化我们对不同国家传统戏剧艺术的理解与认知，推动泰国与中国两国戏剧文化的交流与传承，为跨文化交流与合作的深入发展贡献智慧与力量。
