China's 600-year-old Kunqu Opera finding a new global stage

Editor's note:

The United Nations has officially designated 44 Chinese traditions as world cultural heritage. This series examines how each of them defines what it means to be Chinese.

Kunqu Opera, one of the oldest theatrical traditions in China and the world, is capturing new attention around the globe. The elegant and poetic art form is finding a fresh audience at home and abroad.

Recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 2001 as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity, Kunqu Opera is known for its beauty, grace and deep cultural meaning.

The opera began more than 600 years ago in Kunshan, a small town in east China's Jiangsu Province, during the late Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) and the early Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). It grew out of local songs and poems, and later developed into a more refined art form.

A key figure in its history was Wei Liangfu, a musician in the 16th century. He created the soft and flowing shuimo diao (watermill tunes), which became Kunqu's special sound. These tunes felt like the gentle movement of boats along rivers, calm and full of feeling.

Unlike other operas from north China, Kunqu had a softer, slower style that matched its thoughtful and poetic themes.

In the Ming and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties, Kunqu became very popular among scholars and even in the imperial court.

Writers admired it for its graceful language and deep ideas. Many plays were based on stories of love, philosophy and human nature.

One of the most famous plays is "The Peony Pavilion" by Tang Xianzu, often called the "Shakespeare of the East."

Written in 1598, it tells the story of Du Liniang, a young woman who falls in love in a dream and is later brought back to life by that love. The play has been performed for centuries and still touches audiences today.

In the 19th and 20th centuries, Kunqu lost its popularity as other opera styles took center stage, especially Peking Opera. By the mid-1900s, Kunqu was almost gone. Few plays were performed, and only a small number of actors kept the tradition alive.

A turning point came in 1956, when the Zhejiang Kunqu Opera Theater staged a revival of the play "Fifteen Strings of Coins."

It was praised by then Premier Zhou Enlai, who called it "the play that brings Kunqu back to life." The moment helped save the art form and brought more attention and support for its preservation.

Today, Kunqu is supported by six major troupes across China, along with schools and universities. Peking University's Kunqu Heritage Center and the Suzhou Kunqu Opera Theater play key roles in training new actors and protecting old scripts.

In Kunshan, near Shanghai, more than 5,000 children have studied Kunqu through special "Little Kunqu" programs. Many of them have gone on to become professional performers.

One of the most important personalities in today's Kunqu world is Zhang Jun, often called the "prince of Kunqu."

He was born in Shanghai in 1974 and chosen at age 12 to study Kunqu at the Shanghai Traditional Opera School, beating out over 2,000 other candidates.

Zhang trained for eight years and later joined the Shanghai Kunqu Opera Troupe. He rose through the ranks and became deputy director in 2007.

Two years later, he left to start his own company — the Shanghai Zhang Jun Kunqu Art Center, the first private professional Kunqu troupe in China.

Zhang is known for his creative projects that mix old and new. In his one-man show "I, Hamlet," he uses Kunqu techniques to perform several roles from Shakespeare's classic plays.

In 2011, UNESCO named Zhang a UNESCO Artist for Peace, honoring his work to share Kunqu with the world. Among other UNESCO Artists for Peace are famous Canadian singer Celine Dion and Chinese actress Gong Li.

Zhang has performed in schools and universities more than 400 times, hoping to make Kunqu more fun and interesting to younger people.

Kunqu is also changing with the times. Performances are now streamed online, and digital tools help preserve old music and scripts.

New technologies such as 5G holograms, virtual avatars and interactive exhibitions are helping Kunqu reach young and international audiences.

Still, the core of Kunqu remains the same. Actors must master five skills: singing, reciting, acting, acrobatics and martial arts. These take years — sometimes a decade or more — to learn.

Kunqu is now performed not just in China, but around the world. Cultural exchanges, art festivals and university partnerships are helping it reach new audiences in places like France, the United States and the United Kingdom.

A wave of silk sleeves and poetic gestures swept through Edinburgh as Kunqu dazzled international audiences at the 2024 Edinburgh Festival.

Led by acclaimed performer Wei Chunrong and the Northern Kunqu Opera Theater, the performances marked a bold step in introducing the ancient art form to a new generation worldwide.

The troupe conducted a series of events, including a Kunqu European Classroom, pop-up performances on historic streets and four packed shows of the classic "Legend of the White Snake."

Today, Kunqu is one of 44 Chinese cultural traditions on UNESCO's Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Whether performed on a stage, in a quiet garden or on a digital screen, it keeps changing while staying true to its roots.

"While fragile, Kunqu cultural heritage is an important factor in maintaining cultural diversity in the face of growing globalization," Zhang said at the Artist for Peace designation ceremony at the Paris headquarters of UNESCO.

"It promotes intercultural dialogs and encourages mutual respect for other ways of life."