전통의 계승과 자유에 관한 소고 - 일본 가부키를 중심으로 -

This article is about freedom in the context of tradition. Tradition, which is inherited from a far-reaching past, is often understood as something incompatible with modern values such as individuality and freedom. After Eric Hobsbawm redefined tradition as “invented” practices rather than inherited ones, this incompatibility has been even more obvious. Tradition, “real” or “invented,” is “fixed”(normally formalized) and often ritualized. Freedom seems to be difficult to realize under the conditions of repeating a fixed and ritualized form.
This article focuses on an examination of a certain room for freedom in the context of tradition. Kabuki, a well-known Japanese traditional performing art, consists of kata or form. Teaching and learning kata is a crucial part of the inheritance of kabuki tradition. Apparently, there is no room for freedom of creation but only subordination to an exact form.
This study, however, argues that freedom is as important as subordination in the long process of inheriting a “real” tradition or “inventing” a tradition. Logically, although subordination is emphasized in the inheritance of kabuki tradition, it does not necessarily mean the suppression of freedom. Moreover, freedom is necessary to maintain an art form as a tradition.
This article illustrates “room for freedom” in kabuki tradition in three aspects: repertoires, roles, and actors. Unlike the common misunderstanding that all kabuki repertoires are fixed and performed as they were in the Edo period, new repertoires have been created and minor reformation has been constant to appeal to changing audiences. Kabuki roles such as onnagataor women's roles are not as fixed as people believe, noris the path to becoming a kabuki actor as narrow. Although sons of major kabuki actors born into kabuki family still inherit their fathers' positions after rigorous training in the family tradition, there are other ways to become a kabuki actor. Room for freedom in creating repertoires, changing roles, and recruiting actors are necessary for those who inherit kabuki, not only to preserve the form but to maintain its fame and popularity.