Foreign tours of ballet troupes in China in 1958-1966 as harbingers of the "Cultural Revolution": as reflected in the pages of "Rénmín Rìbào" (People's Daily)

The aim of this study is to identify the characteristics of the perception and evaluation of foreign ballet by Chinese society and the official press in the context of increasing ideological control on the eve of the "Cultural Revolution." Based on publications in the newspaper "Rénmín Rìbào" (People's Daily), the research examines how performances by troupes from the USSR, Hungary, Sweden, France, Cuba, Japan, and Cambodia contributed to the mastery of technical foundations and repertoire, as well as catalyzed the re-evaluation of the role of Western and traditional forms in ballet. Particular attention is paid to the changing rhetoric in the press: from admiration for European traditions to an emphasis on national distinctiveness and revolutionary themes. The article shows that visits by foreign ensembles not only contributed to the professional growth of Chinese artists but also stimulated ideological filtering and the creation of their own revolutionary ballet. The scientific novelty lies in the comprehensive approach to studying the mechanisms of adapting foreign art and forming a national revolutionary ballet. The results reveal a dualism in the cultural process: on the one hand, there is an active borrowing of European ballet traditions; on the other, there is an intensification of ideological correction and the displacement of "outdated" elements in favor of national forms.