Chinese Kunqu Opera

Author: Li Xiao
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-05-01
Features: Chinese Kunqu Opera, as one of the oldest theatrical forms in China, boasts exquisite artistry and a comprehensive system, exerting a significant influence on later emerging opera genres. Kunqu Opera is a distinguished representative of Chinese classical theater, with its artistic achievements and cultural value transcending national and ethnic boundaries, now recognized and appreciated by humanity as a whole. With a history spanning over 600 years, Kunqu Opera originated from the "Kunshan Tune" in the late Yuan Dynasty and early Ming Dynasty, being one of the four major vocal styles of Southern Drama, including the Yiyang, Haisan, Yuyao, and Kunshan tunes. After the reform initiated by Emperor Jiajing in the Ming Dynasty, a new style emerged, known as "Kun Quan," as mentioned in Shen Chengxu's "Rules for Singing" (Duqu Xunzhi), which states, "The style is called Kun Quan." By the mid-Ming Wanli period, the term "Kunqu Opera" had been used, as evidenced by Liang Bolong's poem "To Yang Sheng Singing Kunqu Opera" and Pan Zhiheng's poem "Listening to Yang Sheng Singing Kunqu Opera." By the late Ming Dynasty, the term "Kunqu Opera" had become widely popular across the Yangtze River region, as seen in Xi Zhou Sheng's novel "Awakening World" (Xingshi Yin Yuan) in the 73rd chapter, which reads, "Not only is he skilled in singing folk songs but also adept at Kunqu Opera." Since the middle of the Ming Dynasty, the term "Kunju" has also been used to refer to Kunqu Opera, as seen in the Qing Jiaqing era's "Zongxiang Guo" by Zhongxiangzhuren and "Ting Chun Xin Yong" by Liu Chun Ge Xiaoshi, who described renowned actors as "proficient in Kunju" or "masterful in Kunju." Thereafter, the terms "Kun Quan," "Kunqu Opera," and "Kunju" were often used interchangeably, though they differ in nuance while generally referring to the same art form. "Kun Quan" refers to the vocal style, "Kunqu Opera" encompasses the vocal style, scripts, and performances, including the meaning of a theatrical genre, while "Kunju" explicitly refers to the genre itself.