The Evolution of Mass Media and Shanghai-Style Suzhou Pingtan in Modern Shanghai

With the development of urban culture in modern Shanghai, Shanghai style (海派Haipai) has gradually formed its own features. As a crucial component of urban culture, modern mass media reflects the essence of Shanghai-style culture in its development. Its modernity, commerciality, openness, and innovation display the cultural trait of keeping up with the times. During the Xianfeng and Tongzhi periods of the Qing Dynasty (1851-1875), Suzhou Pingtan(苏州评弹)was introduced to Shanghai due to the influence of the Taiping Rebellion (太平天国战争), and began its Shanghai-style evolution in the context of modern mass media. On the one hand, modern newspapers and electronic media became crucial tools for the promotion of Suzhou Pingtan performers; on the other hand, the daily lives, performing careers, and public images of these performers became focal points of media attention. Mass media facilitated the Shanghai-style development of Suzhou Pingtan, and through it, changes in commercial awareness, performance styles, artistic expressions, musical innovation, and the celebrity-like performers all reflected the process of Shanghai-style development in Pingtan art.