Kunqu
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Kunqu, also known as Kunju, K'un-ch'ü, Kun opera or Kunqu opera, is one of the oldest extant forms of Chinese opera. It evolved from a music style local to Kunshan, part of the Wu cultural area, and l
Kunqu Play Taipei
Gu Jian, allegedly a transmitter of the Kunshan music in the Yuan dynasty
A scene from The Peony Pavilion
Kunqu performance at the Peking University
The Peony Pavilion
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The Peony Pavilion, also named The Return of Soul at the Peony Pavilion, is a romantic tragicomedy play written by dramatist Tang Xianzu in 1598. The plot was drawn from the short story Du Liniang Rev
Kunqu
…gained widespread popularity when Liang Chenyu used the style in his drama Huansha ji (Washing Silken Gauze). Well-known pieces of Kunqu opera included The Peony Pavilion from the Ming dynasty. The melody or tune of Kunqu is one of the Four Great Characteristic Melodies in Chinese opera. It is known for its elegant lyrics…
Portrait of the playwright, Tang Xianzu
The first page of Tang Xianzu's preface to The Return of the Soul at the Peony Pavilion
Illustration of Du Liniang drawing her self-portrait, from a Jiuwotang Hall imprint of The Peony Pavilion, Ming dynasty
Actress Shan Wen performing The Peony Pavilion at the Nanjing Museum