《國劇月刊》是在台灣京劇面臨轉型的背景下誕生的，由主編者陳小潭先生一人獨立營運，總是艱辛月刊的發刊仍長達十三年的歲月。此月刊見證了台灣社會與京劇的發展的變遷過程。其所刊載的文章內容多元，不同的意見交雜其中。在京劇變遷的過程中，月刊的撰稿群也不斷的修正與檢討自己的看法。然而有一個前提是不容質疑與更動的，那就是：「京劇是一門高深的藝術」不容旁人等閒視之。在這一大前提底下，面對台灣京劇轉型的階段所產生的種種變革，《國劇月刊》始終是採取一種保守的態度去因應。 《國劇月刊》的內容多元，包含了約可分為京劇劇藝研討、京劇活動報導、京劇演出評述、京劇環境評論等四大類。劇藝研討的文章記錄了京劇最輝煌的時期，當時著名伶人們的翩翩風采，隨著老戲迷飄洋過海來台，一直活在他們的心中。也因此在面對京劇的沒落，這些京劇的精髓與靈魂便更需要被提出來，做一個指標。無論是當代的演員、劇目的改良乃至於劇評人都必須以此為依歸，這樣的心態，隨著京劇創新的浪潮襲來，雖然有漸漸鬆動的情況，但是不可諱言的是，整體而言《國劇月刊》仍是一本風格保守且立場堅定的雜誌，也因此其讀者始終不能擴大，而使月刊對台灣京劇發展的影響始終有限。但是主編陳小潭先生因對京劇的喜愛而無私奉獻自身的力量，只為能對發揚京劇盡一份心，這樣的精神雖然保守固執，但是在求新求變，現實殘酷的工商社會中，仍為台灣社會保有一絲單純。; “Chinese Opera Monthly” was published by Mr. Chen Xiao Tan alone from 1977 to 1990 when was the transition of Taiwan society and Peking Chinese opera. “Chinese Opera Monthly” was the witness of that period and the articles gazetted included diversified contents and opinions. On the process of the transition of Peking Chinese opera, contributors of articles kept revising and reviewing their own opinions. However, “Peking Opera is a profound art” is the unquestionable and unchangeable prerequisite. Under the prerequisite, “Chinese Opera Monthly” always took a conservative attitude to respond the reforms in the stage of transition. “Chinese Opera Monthly” can be classified to “discussion of Peking Opera arts”、“reports of Peking opera activity”、“comments of Peking opera performances ” and “comments of Peking opera environmental”. Articles gazetted in “Discussion of Peking Opera Arts” recorded the most glorious period of Peking Opera. The elegant figures of those famous actors were stayed with fans who flied overseas to Taiwan. Therefore, the pith and marrow of the “Peking Opera” should be brought up to be a benchmark in response to the decline of the “Peking Opera” and to be followed by contemporary actors, opera lists and firm critics. Though the attitude was slacked off toward the innovation of Peking Opera, “Chinese Opera Monthly” was still a conservative and uncompromising magazine. That's why the audiences of “Chinese Opera Monthly” and its affections toward “Peking Opera” were still limited.Mr. Xiao Tan Chen dedicated himself to Peking Opera for nothing but love, which remained a trace of simple in the cruel industrial society.
