Chinese Kunqu Opera, as we know it today, has a continuous history of some 600 years. This highly distinctive theatre was made up of various elements - music, singing, dancing, recitation, and movement. From the early 16th century, Kunqu, a form of drama popular in the Suzhou area emerged and soon spread over the country. Being China's oldest and one of its most influential theatrical traditions, Kunqu is famous for its soft ad refined music as well as its poetical style of wording. This book gives a vivid picture of the development of Kunqu Opera, its birth, its ups and downs and its nationwide flourish.
