Yuanben

Yuanben () was an early form of Chinese opera which thrived in northern China during the Jin dynasty (1115–1234) and early Yuan dynasty (1271–1368). Unlike the contemporary "nanxi", which flourished in East China, no "yuanben" play has survived. Nevertheless, 691 "yuanben" titles are listed in a 1366 book by Tao Zongyi. "Yuanben" might have been very similar to the "zaju" in the Song dynasty which controlled southern China, and it eventually evolved into the "zaju" of the Yuan dynasty.
Role types.
There were five role types in "yuanben", namely: