Abstract: Performance studies (PS), derived from theatre studies, has evolved to cover all human performative activities. Unlike the three older types of PS in the westtheatre PS, human PS, and oral PS, social performance studies is unique with Chinese characteristics, focusing on various liminal genres between the real and the virtual, intended to explore better and more diverse ways in the areas of social performance and artistic performance.

Key words: social performance studies, social norm, mimesis, virtual reality, performance studies