French Literature Reviews - 2026

Antonin Artaud's China and Japan
Theatre and Performance

Florence Mèredieu
Antonin Artaud's China and Japan

Blusson
2006
Isbn: 2-907784-17-X
25 euro(s)

China: Deeply influenced from an early age by the spell of an Orient he first encountered through Cambodian dances (1922) and Balinese Theatre (1931), Artaud (1896-1948) was fascinated by China's ancient civilization, which he viewed as the ultimate symbol of the East. His interaction in the 1930s with the prominent sinologist George Soulié de Morant introduced him to Chinese theater, which would become one of the models for the theatrical vision he sought to promote. Dr. René Allendy and Soulié de Morant also introduced him to Chinese medicine and acupuncture. The latter inspired his concept of "theatrical acupuncture," a technique that (through forms, colors, and sounds) strikes the spectator at precise points in their organism. Japan: The 1920s and 1930s in Europe were characterized by a cosmopolitan spirit and a taste for the exotic, prompting cultural magazines (Comœdia, Pour Vous, Je sais Tout, etc.) to open their pages widely to Asian cultures. It was at Charles Dullin’s Atelier that Artaud (1896-1948) discovered the stylization of Japanese masks and theater. At the same time, the young man read Lafcadio Hearn, discovering the legend of Kwaidan, which inspired a text of his own. He was fascinated by ideograms, discovered the haiku, and took a keen interest in Japanese philosophy. For their part, the Japanese were not far behind: from the late 1920s onward, they showed a strong interest in the surrealists, and particularly in the "non-communist" surrealist Antonin Artaud.

The intellectual climate of interwar Europe fostered a widespread curiosity regarding non-Western cultures, drawing artists and writers toward various forms of traditional Asian performance, philosophy, and aesthetic practices. Within this broader cultural landscape, figures associated with the avant-garde frequently sought alternatives to Western theatrical traditions by looking to Eastern models. The page notes how Antonin Artaud encountered these traditions through diverse channels, including Balinese theater, Cambodian dances, and interactions with prominent scholars and practitioners of the period.

Readers interested in the intersections between European avant-garde theater and traditional Asian arts may find this volume relevant. The page outlines how Artaud engaged with Chinese medicine, ideograms, Japanese masks, and haiku, incorporating these diverse elements into his developing artistic vision. Furthermore, the work touches upon the reciprocal reception of European surrealism among Japanese intellectuals during the late 1920s, highlighting a sustained cross-cultural dialogue.