**2. The Relation between Daoism and Chinese Theatre**

Speaking of the influence of religions upon Chinese theatre, Buddhism commonly ranks at the top and has gained the most academic attention. As *The Columbia Anthology of Chinese Folk and Popular Literature* summarizes (Mair 2011, p. 168), the influence of Buddhism on Chinese theatre starts from the earliest stages of development and covers not only the content but also the form and conventions of Chinese theatre, such as role types, gestures, and structure. Many studies have also furthered this discussion. For instance, Victor H. Mair (1989) focuses on transformation texts of the Tang dynasty (618–907) to illustrate the Buddhist contribution to the development of Chinese theatre. Additionally, Baocheng Kang (2004) argues that Buddhism has shaped the form of Chinese theatre in different respects involving theatrical stages, characters, tunes, dialogues, script structures, and rituals.

In contrast, it has long been assumed that Daoism exerted only a minor influence on Chinese theatre, and some important studies in Daoism or Chinese theatre have even overlooked or refused to discuss this issue. For instance, as a foundational study in discussing the relation between religions and Chinese theatre, the study of Yingde Guo (1988) underscores the influence of Buddhism but totally ignores Daoism. The ignorance is not an isolated case and can be seen in some other studies too. For two other instances, Zhaoguang Ge (1987) has examined the relationship between Daoism and Chinese traditional literature, while notably, he has not included dramas in the main discussion but merely mentioned them. Likewise, Zhan Shichuang's study (Zhan 1992), which is believed to be the first comprehensive history of Daoist literature, thoroughly discusses Daoist tales, poems, and prose but barely argues anything about Daoist dramas. The consistent neglection reveals that the relation of Daoism and Chinese theatre has claimed little attention for a long period.

As time goes on, however, we can find some studies in this field. Overall, it has been argued that the influence of Daoism on Chinese theatre cannot be underestimated because of its vital role in Chinese cultural history (Zhan 1997, pp. 3–4). Specifically, more in-depth studies in the area have been published since 2000. For instance, Hanmin Wang (2007) examines several themes of Daoist dramas; and Yihan Tong (2009), retrospectively, examines

the origin and development of Daoist dramas. These works are commendable because they have provided us with a firm starting point in the field. Furthermore, there are some case studies concerning the influence of Daoism on dramas (Wang 2002; Xu 2005). Despite these, on the other hand, the field is still in its infancy because many essential themes in the field have not been examined. For instance, as Wang Guowei demonstrates (Wang 1984, p. 163), the essence of dramas is to narrate stories via music and dances. From Wang's perspective, the adaptation of tales for the theatrical production is a significant research issue in Chinese theatre. Concerning the given issue, the influence of Buddhism has been sufficiently discussed (Zhang 2011), but very few works have shed light upon Daoism.

However, reinforced by the new and exceptional insights derived from the fresh materials of the Liaozhaoxi of Chuanju, the present study would like to fill the research gap. At the outset, the grea<sup>t</sup> influence of Daoism on the Liaozhaixi of Chuanju is rooted in the local folklore of Sichuan. As one of the most important birthplaces of Daoism, Sichuan local folk culture has been profoundly influenced by Daoism (Kleeman 2016, pp. 1–51), which can be observed in stone inscriptions, music, and literature (Sichuan Sheng Difangzhi Bianzuan Weiyuanhui 1998, pp. 37–48). Likewise, Chuanju is also deeply imbued with Daoism. Among the approximate 4000 surviving scripts of Chuanju, no fewer than 600 of them are related to Daoism; and dramatists of Chuanju often employ Daoist tales to develop or adapt scripts (Sha 2009, pp. 23–25). Moreover, it has been assumed that the local conviction in Daoism has significantly influenced how the Liaozhaixi of Chuanju adapts the original stories (Du 2003, pp. 134–36). Those new resources now enable us to fully explore how Daoism has influenced the adaption of the Liaozhaixi of Chuanju and broaden our understanding of Daoism's influence on Chinese theatre.
