1949年國民政府遷臺後,順應一系列恢復中原文化的政策,京劇被獨尊為「國劇」。國家給予豐厚資源成立軍中劇隊,原來私人興學的復興劇校及其附屬劇團,亦在1968年由教育部接管。可以說,戰後二十年間,京劇在臺灣儼然已形成「官方/中華正統文化/國劇」色彩鮮明的形象,非但私人京班不靠官方資源幾乎無法生存,曾是商業劇場主流的海派京劇,亦淪為公家劇團偶爾增添噱頭的點綴。在此情勢下,今日世界育樂中心依舊於1968年底盛大開幕。該中心共有九個表演廳,其中「麒麟廳」延聘海派京劇藝人周麟崑,帶領「麒麟國劇團」每天兩場全年無休地演出傳統京劇及海派連臺本戲,歷時將近五年,共演出近兩千場,可視為是海派京劇及民間京班商業演出在臺灣最後的身影。究竟什麼機緣,使得企業主甘冒不利情勢投下巨資,並把操作權交給周麟崑?如果「麒麟廳」曾有過觀客絡繹不絕的榮景,那麼成功的原因為何?「麒麟國劇團」所涉及的不僅僅是單一劇團的興衰,更是民間京劇如何在國家資源選擇性投入下,一步步走向今日樣貌的縮影。因此,本文除建立戲班史外,亦將探討民間京劇商業演出衰落所對應的文化現象,並關照班主周麟崑個人的舞臺經驗及行事風格,由此窺看劇人、劇團與社會環境之間互為表裡的影響關係。
After the retreat of the Republic of China to Taiwan in 1949, in order to comply with a series of policies towards restoring Central Plains Culture, Peking Opera was commonly labeled as the sole National Opera. The government granted the military rich resources so as to establish military troupes. In addition, in 1968 Foo Hsing School of Dramatic Arts and its subsidiary opera troupes were taken over by the Ministry of Education. During the two decades after the war, Peking Opera seemed to become the only ”official/orthodox/national” Opera in Taiwan. Not only did private Chinese opera troupes have to depend on official resources to survive, but also, when Shanghai-style Peking Opera became mainstream commercial performance, they were reduced to occasionally using gimmicks in public theatre.Under these circumstances, Today's World Recreation Center still opened up at the end of 1968. The Recreation Center had nine performance halls. Among the nine halls, ”Chilin Hall” hired the Shanghai-style Peking Opera artist Zhou Lin-Kun to lead ”Chilin Chinese Opera Troupe” and perform traditional Peking Opera and Shanghai-style Peking Opera twice a day year-round; the performances lasted for five years and added up to nearly 2,000 showings. Chilin Chinese Opera Troupe's performances can be regarded as the final appearance of Commercial Performances of Shanghai-style Peking Opera and Peking Opera in Taiwan.What occasion led business owners to give Zhou Lin-Kun the right to operate as well asto invest heavily in ”Cilin Chinese Opera Troupe” without considering adverse conditions? If ”Cilin Hall” was successful with an endless stream of tourists, why did it succeed?”Chilin Chinese Opera Troupe” not only involved the rise and fall of a single opera troupe, but also shows the part Peking Opera plays in the current situation when government selectively invests national resources. In addition to the history of founding troupes, this article will also explore the rise and fall of commercial performances of Peking Opera and the corresponding cultural phenomenon. Also, through discussing Zhou Lin-Kun's personal stage experience as well as his leadership style, this report aims to peer into the interactions between performers, opera troupes and their social environments.