Chinese opera

This article is about the traditional Chinese music theatre. For the contemporary opera form based on western opera, see Chinese contemporary classical opera.

A Shao opera performance in Shanghai, China, 2014. This photo shows an acrobatic performer's somersault.

Chinese opera
Traditional Chinese	戲曲
Simplified Chinese	戏曲
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin xìqǔ Wade–Giles hsi4-ch'ü3 IPA [ɕî.tɕʰỳ] Yue: Cantonese Yale Romanization heikūk Jyutping hei3-kuk1 IPA [hej˧.kʰʊk̚˧] Southern Min Tâi-lô hì-khek

Face paint plays a significant role in portraying the internal complexities of the performer's character with hundreds of combinations of colours and patterns. ^[28] Below are some general meanings which may be further focused on extremely specific details depending on the facial location of the colour. ^[29]

• Red – bravery, fidelity, loyalty, chastity
• Black – impatience, straightforwardness, vulgarity, rudeness
• White – cunning, treachery, villainy, betrayal
• Blue – ferocity, courage, uncontrollability, cruelty, violence
• Yellow – cleverness, secretiveness, mystery, evil
• Purple – loyalty, filial piety, age
• Green – bravery, purpose, an evil spirit
• Gold and silver – godhood, divinity, the supernatural (monsters, spirits, demons) ^{[28] [29]}

Musical characteristics

The musical components of Chinese opera are created as an inseparable entity from voice and dance/movement. Both the musicians and the actors contribute to composing musical accompaniment. This collaborative process is reflected within the production by the immaculate synchronicity between the actors' movements and the sounds of the orchestra. The musicians are required to flawlessly support the actors with sound, often waiting for vocal cues or physical signals such as the stomp of a foot. Traditionally, musicians often performed from memory – a feat made even more impressive considering pieces or sections of compositions were subject to infinite variations and often repeated. ^[28]

The orchestra utilized a pentatonic scale until a 7-note scale was introduced by Mongolia during the Yuan Dynasty. The two extra notes functioned similarly to accidentals within western notation. ^[28]

Instruments

The instruments in the orchestra were divided into two categories:

• wen – string and wind instruments: characterized as clear, soft, or gentle and typically used during vocal pieces. ^[28]
• wu – percussive instruments: led dancing and movement, kettle drum "conducts" the whole orchestra, gongs signal audience to sit, appearance of female lead, anger, and fighting. ^[28]

String

Traditional Chinese string instruments used in Chinese Opera include:

• Gaohu
• Erhu
• Pipa
• Sanxian
• Yangqin
• Yueqin
• Jinghu
• Jing erhu
• Banhu
• Erxian

Percussion

Traditional Chinese percussion instruments used in Chinese Opera include:

• Paiban
• Bo
• Bangu
• Daluo
• Xiaoluo

Woodwind

Traditional Chinese woodwind instruments used in Chinese Opera include:

• Dizi
• Suona
• Sheng
• Guan

Regional genres

English name	Chinese name(s)	Major geographical areas
Peking opera	Jingju (京劇)	Cities nationwide on mainland, Hong Kong, Taiwan
Kunqu	Kunqu (崑曲) or Kunju (崑劇)	Cities nationwide on mainland, Taiwan
Nuo opera	Nuoxi (傩戲)	Certain rural areas in Hunan, Hubei, Guizhou, Jiangxi, Guangxi, Anhui, Shanxi, Hebei
Northeast China
Longjiang opera	Longjiangju (龍江劇)	Heilongjiang
Jilin opera	Jiju (吉劇)	Jilin
Laba opera	Labaxi (喇叭戲)	Haicheng (central Liaoning)
North China
Ping opera	Pingju (評劇)	Hebei, Beijing, Tianjin, Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning
Hebei bangzi	Hebei bangzi (河北梆子)	Hebei, Beijing, Tianjin, northwestern Shandong
Laodiao	Laodiao (老調)	Central Hebei, Beijing, Tianjin
Hahaqiang	Hahaqiang (哈哈腔)	Central Hebei, northwestern Shandong
Sixian	Sixian (絲弦)	Hebei, Shanxi
Sai opera	Saixi (賽戲)	Southern Hebei, northern Shanxi
Siguxian	Siguxian (四股弦)	Southern Hebei
Xidiao	Xidiao (西調)	Handan (southern Hebei)
Pingdiao	Pingdiao (平調)	Wu'an (southern Hebei)
Xilu Bangzi	Xilu Bangzi (西路梆子)	Haixing County (southeastern Hebei)
Shanxi opera	Jinju (晉劇)	Shanxi, western Hebei, central Inner Mongolia, northern Shaanxi
Yangge opera	Yanggexi (秧歌戲)	Shanxi, Hebei, Shaanxi
Daoqing opera	Daoqingxi (道情戲)
Errentai	Errentai (二人臺)	Northern Shaanxi, northwestern Shanxi, northwestern Hebei, central Inner Mongolia
Xianqiang	Xianqiang (線腔)	Southernmost Shanxi, westernmost Henan, eastern Shaanxi
Pu opera	Puju (蒲劇) or Puzhou Bangzi (蒲州梆子)	Shanxi
Northwest China
Qinqiang	Qinqiang (秦腔)	Shaanxi, Gansu, Ningxia, Xinjiang
Tiao opera	Tiaoxi (跳戲)	Heyang County (central Shaanxi)
Guangguang opera	Guangguangxi (桄桄戲)	Hanzhong (southwestern Shaanxi)
Xiaoqu opera	Xiaoquxi (小曲戲)	Gansu
Quzi opera	Quzixi (曲子戲)	Northern Gansu, Xinjiang
Gaoshan opera	Gaoshanxi (高山戲)	Longnan (southern Gansu)
Henan and Shandong
Henan opera	Yuju (豫劇)	Henan, southern Hebei, Taiwan
Qu opera	Quju (曲劇)	Henan
Yuediao	Yuediao (越調)	Henan, northern Hubei
Wuyin opera	Wuyinxi (五音戲)	Central Shandong
Lü opera	Lüju (呂劇)	Southwestern Shandong
Maoqiang	Maoqiang (茂腔)	Jiaozhou Bay (eastern Shandong)
Anhui and Jiangsu
Huangmei opera	Huangmeixi (黃梅戲)	Anhui, eastern Hubei, Taiwan
Sizhou opera	Sizhouxi (泗州戲)	Northeastern Anhui, northwestern Jiangsu
Lu opera	Luju (廬劇)	Central Anhui
Hui opera	Huiju (徽劇)	Southern Anhui, northeastern Jiangxi
Huaihai opera	Huaihaixi (淮海戲)	Northern Jiangsu
Yangzhou opera	Yangju (揚劇)	Yangzhou (central Jiangsu)
Huai opera	Huaiju (淮劇)	Central Jiangsu
Wuxi opera	Xiju (錫劇)	Wuxi and Changzhou (southern Jiangsu)
Suzhou opera	Suju (蘇劇)	Suzhou (southern Jiangsu)
Tongzi opera	Tongzixi (童子戲)	Nantong (southeastern Jiangsu)
Zhejiang and Shanghai
Yue opera	Yueju (越劇)	Zhejiang, Shanghai, southern Jiangsu, northern Fujian
Shanghai opera	Huju (滬劇)	Shanghai
Huzhou opera	Huju (湖劇)	Huzhou (northern Zhejiang)
Shao opera	Shaoju (紹劇)	Shaoxing (northern Zhejiang)
Yao opera	Yaoju (姚劇)	Yuyao (northern Zhejiang)
Ningbo opera	Yongju (甬劇)	Ningbo (northern Zhejiang)
Wu opera	Wuju (婺劇)	Western Zhejiang
Xinggan opera	Xingganxi (醒感戲)	Yongkang (central Zhejiang)
Ou opera	Ouju (甌劇)	Wenzhou (southern Zhejiang)
Fujian and Taiwan
Min opera	Minju (閩劇)	Fujian, Taiwan (particularly Matsu Islands), Southeast Asia
Beilu opera	Beiluxi (北路戲)	Shouning County (northeastern Fujian)
Pingjiang opera	Pingjiangxi (平講戲)	Ningde (northeastern Fujian)
Sanjiao opera	Sanjiaoxi (三角戲)	Northern Fujian, western Zhejiang, northeastern Jiangxi
Meilin opera	Meilinxi (梅林戲)	Northwestern Fujian
Puxian opera	Puxianxi (莆仙戲)	Putian (coastal central Fujian)
Liyuan opera	Liyuanxi (梨園戲)	Quanzhou (southern Fujian), Taiwan, Southeast Asia
Gaojia opera	Gaojiaxi (高甲戲)	Quanzhou (southern Fujian), Taiwan, Southeast Asia
Dacheng opera	Dachengxi (打城戲)	Quanzhou (southern Fujian)
Taiwanese opera	Gezaixi (歌仔戲)	Taiwan, southern Fujian, Southeast Asia
Hubei, Hunan, and Jiangxi
Flower-drum opera	Huaguxi (花鼓戲)	Hubei, Hunan, Anhui, southeastern Henan
Han opera	Hanju (漢劇)	Hubei, Hunan, Shaanxi, Taiwan
Chu opera	Chuju (楚劇)	Eastern Hubei
Jinghe opera	Jinghexi (荊河戲)	Southern Hubei, northern Hunan
Baling opera	Balingxi (巴陵戲)	Yueyang (northeastern Hunan)
Jiangxi opera	Ganju (贛劇)	Jiangxi
Yaya opera	Yayaxi (丫丫戲)	Yongxiu County (northern Jiangxi)
Meng opera	Mengxi (孟戲)	Guangchang County (eastern central Jiangxi)
Donghe opera	Donghexi (東河戲)	Ganzhou (southern Jiangxi)
Tea-picking opera	Caichaxi (採茶戲)	Jiangxi, Hunan, Guangxi, Hubei, Guangdong, Taiwan
Southwest China
Sichuan opera	Chuanju (川劇)	Sichuan, Chongqing
Yang opera	Yangxi (陽戲)	Northwestern Hunan, eastern Sichuan, Chongqing, Guizhou
Deng opera	Dengxi (燈戲)	Northeastern Sichuan, Chongqing, southwestern Hubei
Huadeng opera	Huadengxi (花燈戲)	Guizhou, Yunnan
Guizhou opera	Qianju (黔劇)	Guizhou
Yunnan opera	Dianju (滇劇)	Yunnan
Guansuo opera	Guansuoxi (關索戲)	Chengjiang County (central Yunnan)
South China
Cantonese opera	Yueju (粵劇)	Guangdong, Hong Kong, Macau, southern Guangxi, North America, Southeast Asia
Teochew opera	Chaoju (潮劇)	Eastern Guangdong, southernmost Fujian, Hong Kong, Southeast Asia
Zhengzi opera	Zhengzixi (正字戲)	Lufeng (eastern Guangdong)
Hakka opera	Hanju (漢劇)	Eastern Guangdong
Leizhou opera	Leiju (雷劇)	Leizhou Peninsula (southwestern Guangdong)
Hainan opera	Qiongju (瓊劇)	Hainan, Singapore
Zhai opera	Zhaixi (齋戲)	Haikou (northern Hainan)
Caidiao	Caidiao (彩調)	Guangxi
Guangxi opera	Guiju (桂劇)	Northern Guangxi
Nanning opera	Yongju (邕劇)	Nanning (southern Guangxi)

Gallery

• 
  Fire spitting from Sichuan opera
• 
  A female opera performer
• 
  The mask of Chinese opera.
• 
  A man is painting Chinese opera makeup.
• 
  Traditional Chinese Theater
• 
  Water sleeve
• 
  Classic Chinese opera look
• 
  Wing Luke Museum – Ping Chow's Chinese opera garment
• 
  Chinese opera costumes – Hong Kong Museum of History
• 
  A Peking Opera actor
• 
  Two Beijing Opera actresses
• 
  Chinese drama In last century.
• 
  Romance of the Western Chamber Shaoxing opera
• 
  Nuo Opera Mask
• 
  Battle of Changban Peking Opera
• 
  Havoc in Heaven Peking Opera
• 
  Kunqu Mudanting Scene
• 
  Kunqu

In popular culture

The Peking opera subgenre is the focal point of the 1988 play M. Butterfly , in which a spy for the Chinese government disguises himself as a woman performer under the alias Song Liling and enters a 20-year relationship with French civil servant René Gallimard. The latter is unaware that female roles in Peking opera are actually played by men due to women being barred from the stage.

An update in January 2022 for the game Genshin Impact includes a story quest that features a musical number from the character Yun Jin that is in the style of Chinese opera The Divine Damsel of Devastation, which went viral as it was the first time many people around the world have heard Chinese opera. Even Yang Yang, the Chinese voice of Yun Jin, was surprised about it.

In the 2022 film Everything Everywhere All at Once , one of Evelyn's multiverse counterparts became a prodigious Chinese opera singer after being blinded in a childhood accident. Evelyn assimilates this version's abilities to improve her self-confidence and breath control during a fight. Later in the film, the interaction between various multiverse versions of Evelyn result in the Chinese opera version botching and then salvaging a performance.

See also

• Chinese contemporary classical opera
• Chinese theatre
• Chinese culture
• Chinese art
• C-pop
• Huaju
• Music of China
• Pear Garden
• Qu (poetry)
• Revolutionary opera
• Yuan poetry
• Zaju

Notes

1. Fan, Xing (2018). "Visual Communication through Design". Staging Revolution: Artistry and Aesthetics in Model Beijing Opera during the Cultural Revolution. Hong Kong University Press. pp. 196–217. doi:10.5790/hongkong/9789888455812.003.0009. ISBN   978-988-8455-81-2. JSTOR   j.ctt22p7jf7.14.
2. Pang, Cecilia J. (2005). "(Re)cycling Culture: Chinese Opera in the United States". Comparative Drama. 39 (3/4): 361–396. doi:10.1353/cdr.2005.0015. JSTOR   41154288.
3. Wichmann, Elizabeth (1990). "Tradition and Innovation in Contemporary Beijing Opera Performance". TDR. 34 (1): 146–178. doi:10.2307/1146013. JSTOR   1146013.
4. Wang Kefen (1985). The History of Chinese Dance. China Books & Periodicals. p. 78. ISBN   978-0-8351-1186-7.
5. Mackerras, Colin (Spring 1994). "Peking Opera before the Twentieth Century". Comparative Drama . 28 (1): 19–42. doi:10.1353/cdr.1994.0001. JSTOR   41153679. S2CID   190271409.
6. Siu, Wang-Ngai; Lovrick, Peter (1997). Chinese Opera: Images and Stories. UBC Press. ISBN   0-7748-0592-7.
7. Ma, Haili (2012). "Yueju – The Formation of a Legitimate Culture in Contemporary Shanghai". Culture Unbound: Journal of Current Cultural Research. 4: 213–227. doi: 10.3384/cu.2000.1525.124213 .
8. Iovene, Paola (2010). "Chinese Operas on Stage and Screen: A Short Introduction". The Opera Quarterly . 26 (2–3): 181–199. doi:10.1093/oq/kbq028. S2CID   191471378.
9. "将优秀戏曲纳入"国家典藏"". Guangming Daily (in Chinese). May 9, 2017.
10. Tan Ye (2008). Historical Dictionary of Chinese Theater. Scarecrow Press. p. 3. ISBN   978-0810855144.
11. "唐代參軍戲". 中國文化研究院.
12. "Sichuan Opera". Archived from the original on February 24, 2007.
13. "The Tang Dynasty (618–907)". Asian Traditional Theatre and Dance. Archived from the original on August 23, 2014. Retrieved March 12, 2014.
14. Laurence Picken, ed. (1985). Music from the Tang Court: Volume 5. Cambridge University Press. pp. 1–12. ISBN   978-0521347761.
15. Faye Chunfang Fei, ed. (2002). Chinese Theories of Theater and Performance from Confucius to the Present. University of Michigan Press. pp. 28–29. ISBN   978-0472089239.
16. Tan Ye (2008). Historical Dictionary of Chinese Theater. Scarecrow Press. p. 336. ISBN   9781461659211.
17. "Theatre". China Culture Information Net. Archived from the original on December 25, 2013.
18. "The Early History of Chinese Theatre". Asian Traditional Theatre and Dance. Archived from the original on October 21, 2017. Retrieved March 11, 2014.
19. Jin Fu (2012). Chinese Theatre (3rd ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 10. ISBN   978-0521186667.
20. Tan Ye (2008). Historical Dictionary of Chinese Theater. Scarecrow Press. p. 223. ISBN   978-0810855144.
21. "Chinese Opera". onlinechinatours.com. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
22. Rossabi, 162.
23. Faye Chunfang Fei, ed. (2002). Chinese Theories of Theater and Performance from Confucius to the Present. University of Michigan Press. p. 41. ISBN   978-0472089239.
24. Jin Fu (2012). Chinese Theatre (3rd ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 447. ISBN   978-0521186667.
25. Wang Kefen (1985). The History of Chinese Dance. China Books & Periodicals. p. 78. ISBN   978-0-8351-1186-7.
26. "陶庵夢憶/卷02 《朱雲崍女戲》".
27. "川 剧styles". 中国剧种大观 CCNT. Archived from the original on April 30, 2001.
28. Hsu, Dolores Menstell (1964). "Musical Elements of Chinese Opera". The Musical Quarterly. 50 (4): 439–451. doi:10.1093/mq/L.4.439. JSTOR   740955.
29. Liang, David Ming-Yüeh (1980). "The Artistic Symbolism of the Painted Faces in Chinese Opera: An Introduction". The World of Music. 22 (1): 72–88. JSTOR   43560653.

References

• Rossabi, Morris (1988). Khubilai Khan: His Life and Times. Berkeley: University of California Press. ISBN   0-520-05913-1.

Further reading

• Shih, Chung-wen (1976). The Golden Age of Chinese Drama: Yüan Tsa-chu. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. ISBN   0-691-06270-6.
• Riley, Jo (1997). Chinese Theatre and the Actor in Performance . Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. ISBN   0-521-57090-5.

External links

• "Traveling with the Jinju", a Deutsche Welle documentary depicting a 21st-century touring Jinju (晋剧) Shanxi Opera troupe