HUA-CH

(Chinese: word drama, ) Pinyin huaju form of Chinese drama featuring realistic spoken dialogue rather than the sung poetic dialogue of the traditional Chinese dramatic forms. Hua-ch was developed in the early 20th century by intellectuals who wanted to replace the traditional Chinese forms with Western-style drama. The first full-length play of this kind was an adaptation of Lin Shu's Hei-nu y t'ien lu (1901; The Black Slave Cries Out to Heaven), itself a version of Uncle Tom's Cabin; it was produced by a group of Chinese students in Japan in 1907. At first the hua-ch plays consisted exclusively of translations or adaptations of Western works intended for the appreciation of Western-educated intellectuals, but the appeal of hua-ch was later broadened through the efforts of the China Traveling Dramatic Troupe. In 1936 the troupe performed Lei-y (Thunderstorm), an original four-act tragedy by Cao Yu, one of the most successful hua-ch writers. The form was created during a period of political instability, and it often featured some element of social commentary.