Chuanqi (theatre)

Chuanqi is a form of Chinese opera popular in the Ming dynasty (1368–1644) and early Qing dynasty (1636–1912). It emerged in the mid-Ming dynasty from the older form of "nanxi". As it spread throughout the empire, it absorbed regional music styles and topolects and eventually evolved into different local genres, among them "kunqu". Of the 2000 plus titles recorded in history, over 600 "chuanqi" plays are extant, including "The Peony Pavilion" by Tang Xianzu, "The Palace of Eternal Life" by Hong Sheng, and "The Peach Blossom Fan" by Kong Shangren.
Music.
Whereas its precursor "nanxi" predominantly used southern Chinese tunes, which were pentatonic, melismatic, slow and soft, "chuanqi" widely incorporated northern tunes which were heptatonic, syllabic, fast and forceful. This process had begun in the Yuan dynasty (1271–1368), which reunified northern China (the former Jin dynasty (1115–1234)) and southern China (the former Song dynasty (960–1279)), as "nanxi" increasingly absorbed the northern tunes of "zaju", a northern Chinese opera form. After "chuanqi" came into being in the middle of the Ming dynasty, its popularity spread throughout the various areas of China, each with its distinct traditional musical style and topolect. Over time, four major sub-genres (or "singing styles" 唱腔) were recognized: "haiyanqiang" ("Haiyan style"), "yuyaoqiang" ("Yuyao style"), "yiyangqiang" ("Yiyang style"), and "kunshanqiang" ("Kunshan style", later known as "kunqu"). "Haiyanqiang" and "yuyaoqiang" did not last long; "yiyangqiang" evolved into a large variety of regional forms and disappeared as a genre in the process; while "kunqu" became the standard genre in the Qing dynasty.
Role type.
"Chuanqi" used 12 major role types:
Play structure.
Unlike "nanxi" plays, "chuanqi" plays are divided into "chu" (齣), or acts, each with a subtitle. The four-line poem which appears before the prologue in "nanxi" is placed at the end of the first "chu" in "chuanqi".