Kunqu Opera

Kunqu took shape in the mid-Ming dynasty near Kunshan in Suzhou, refined from the local Kunshan tune by masters such as Wei Liangfu. One of the oldest surviving forms of Chinese opera, it is called the 'ancestor of a hundred operas'.

Accompanied by the bamboo flute, Kunqu is sung in a soft, flowing, finely polished style that prizes clear diction and the unity of song and dance, blending singing, speech, acting and movement; signature works include The Peony Pavilion and The Palace of Eternal Life.

In 2001 Kunqu was named in UNESCO's first proclamation of Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity, and in 2006 it entered the first national list of intangible cultural heritage, marking a summit of Chinese operatic art.

Suzhou is both the cradle and a living centre of Kunqu, where opera troupes and garden performances keep the ancient form alive.