Résumé :
Most studies on ‘modern magic’ examine the evolution and politics of this performance genre in various Euro-American cultural spaces. This article explores how Chinese people perceived and re-invented modern magic in their encounters with modernity and in the context of China’s nationalist and anti-imperialist struggles. More specifically, this study uses the lens of gender to sketch out the emergence of a cultural economy of modern magic, under the influence of colonial capitalism, urbanization, the development of public education and the rise of Chinese nationalism. My research reveals that for Chinese practitioners, embracing modern magic signaled their acceptance of a liberal and evolutionary view of the social world and was also a way of engaging with progressive forces to challenge western and Japanese imperialisms. Drawing on local entrepreneurialism and artisanship, a generation of Chinese magicians innovated upon established repertoires and competed with non-Chinese practitioners for male privilege and power. During the Second Sino-Japanese war, modern magic was especially politicized and transformed into expressions of protest promoting a united Chinese nation.

Localisation : Traitement documentaire

DOI  : 10.1080/17460654.2018.1545826