UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritages in China (II) (3)

Kunqu opera

The item, "Kunqu opera" was inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2008.

Kunqu Opera developed under the Ming dynasty (fourteenth to seventeenth centuries) in the city of Kunshan, situated in the region of Suzhou in southeast China. With its roots in popular theatre, the repertory of songs evolved into a major theatrical form.

Kunqu is one of the oldest forms of Chinese opera still performed today.

It is characterized by its dynamic structure and melody (kunqiang) and classic pieces such as the Peony Pavilion and the Hall of Longevity.