Kunqu

A scene from The Peony Pavilion

Kunqu (Chinese: 崑曲), also known as Kunju (崑劇), K'un-ch'ü, Kun opera or Kunqu Opera, is one of the oldest extant forms of Chinese opera. It evolved from the local melody of Kunshan and later came to dominate Chinese theater from the 16th to the 18th centuries. The style originated in the Wu cultural area. It has been listed as one of the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO since 2001.^[1] American arts magazine TeRra Magazine acclaimed Kunqu one of the most elegant entertainment performing arts.^[2]

History[]

Gu Jian, allegedly a transmitter of the Kunshan music in the Yuan dynasty

A Kunqu performer's portrayal of Hu Sanniang

Kunqu singing techniques are said to have been developed during the Ming Dynasty by Wei Liang Fu in the port of Taicang, but linked to the songs of nearby Kunshan.^[3] Kunqu performance is closely inter-related with the performance of many other styles of Chinese musical theater, including Peking opera, which contains much Kunqu repertoire. The emergence of chuanqi plays, commonly sung to Kunqu, is said to have ushered in a "second Golden Era of Chinese drama". Kunqu troupes experienced a commercial decline in the late 19th century. However, in the early 20th century, Kunqu was reestablished by philanthropists as a theatrical genre that was subsequently subsidized by the Communist state. Like most traditional forms of Chinese opera, Kunqu suffered setbacks both during the Cultural Revolution and again under the influx of Western culture during the Reform and Opening Up policies, only to experience an even greater revival in the new millennium. Today, Kunqu is professionally performed in seven major Mainland Chinese cities: Beijing (), Shanghai (), Suzhou (), Nanjing (Jiangsu Province Kun Opera), Chenzhou (), Yongjia County/Wenzhou () and Hangzhou (), as well as in Taipei. Non-professional opera societies are active in many other cities in China and abroad, and opera companies occasionally tour.

There are many plays that continue to be famous today, including The Peony Pavilion and The Peach Blossom Fan, which were originally written for the Kunqu stage. In addition, many classical Chinese novels and stories, such as Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Water Margin and Journey to the West were adapted very early into dramatic pieces.

In 1919 Mei Lanfang and , renowned performers of kunqu, traveled to Japan to give performances. In the 1930s, Mei performed kunqu in the United States and the Soviet Union and was well received.^[4]

Its melody or tune is one of the Four Great Characteristic Melodies in Chinese opera.

In 2006, Zhou Bing acted as a producer and art director for Kunqu (Kun Opera) of sexcentenary. It won Outstanding Documentary Award of 24th China TV Golden Eagle Awards; it won Award of TV Art Features of 21st Starlight Award for 2006.

Repertoire[]

• The Peony Pavilion (Tang Xianzu)
• The Peach Blossom Fan (Kong Shangren)
• The Palace of Long Life ()
• The White Snake
• The Western Mansion (Southern version, adapted from Wang Shifu's zaju)
• The Injustice done to Dou E (adapted from Guan Hanqing's zaju)
• (Li Yu)

Dramatists[]

• Tang Xianzu
• Kong Shangren
• Li Yu
• Feng Menglong

Performers[]

• Mei Lanfang
• Zhang Jiqing
• Yan Huizhu
• Zhang Jun

References[]

Further reading[]

• Xiao Li (2005). Chinese Kunqu Opera. Translated by Li Li and Liping Zhang. Long River Press. ISBN 1-59265-062-7.

External links[]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kunqu.

• UNESCO the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity Kunqu Opera
• The Kunqu Society, Inc
• The Society of Kunqu Arts, Inc.
• What is Kunqu Theater ?