The Kunqu opera is well-known by friends who’d like to learn Chinese in China to be one of the earliest traditional Chinese opera drama, as well as an art form which is considered to be the treasure of traditional Chinese culture. As one of the precious gem of the Chinese opera, the Kunqu opera had been credited as the Human Oral and Intangible Heritage by the UNESCO.
It is unbelievable for people who’d like to study Chinese in China that the popularity of the Kunqu opera had reached an considerable level, the emperors of the Qing dynasty, Qianlong and Kangxi, would invariably choose to watch them during their tours to the south regions of China, what’s more, some excellent artists would also be taken back to his palace.
Kunming was not only was not welcomed by the emperors, the marquises as well the high ranking officials, but was also gaining popularity among the common people, however, to people who’d like to study Mandarin in China’s disappointment, the Kunqu opera was decaying during the end of the Qing dynasty and especially true during the ruling period of the Kuomingtang, when obviously no performances of the professional opera troupes had been given.
Only after the founding of the People’s Republic of China when the adapted version of Fifteen Strings of Cash were displayed, which had received warm welcome from the public and exerted profound influences upon the people, and as was quoted by the premier Zhou: “A type of opera can be rejuvenated by just one excellent performance.” It is strongly suggested that people who’d like to learn Chinese in China would come and enjoy performances of the the Kunqu opera.
For friends who’d like to come to China and study Chinese in China, the artistic features of the traditional artistic form of the Kunqu Opera is quiet worth appreciating. As has had been quoted by Bai xianyong is his work My Aesthetic Journey of the Kunqu Opera, “the Kunqu opera is a lyrical, expressionistic, symbolic and poetic art form which can best manifest the traditional Chinese aesthetics.
For friends who have had been to China to study Mandarin in China will discover that the Kunqu opera is such a perfect artistic form that the elements of singing, dancing, poetry, and drama can be well demonstrated and well-blended in just one performance, which characteristic can not be found either in the western ballet or opera performances.
After enjoying just one single performance of the Kunqu Opera, friends who’d like to learn Chinese in China would find that as long as there is a simple platform for their performance, the heaviest and the most intricate and intriguing emotions and images can be well expressed through the Kunqu opera.
The reason for the prolonged and centuries-old history of Kunqu and the high prestige it has had received from the populace was because of the unique artistic features. And its consummateness in expressing the aesthetic features of traditional Chinese opera can be seen from the following aspects, which are also worth appreciating for friends who’d like to study Chinese in China.
The Kunqu opera, owing to its magnificent music for voices, the learned and refined spoken parts, exquisite and dedicate performances, and elegant and graceful dance movements, with the addition of a flawless stage setting, has had reached an overall consummate artistic level of performance for the audiences who’d like to study Mandarin in China.
The use of tunes in the Kunqu Opera is graceful and pleasant to enjoy for friends who’d like to study Mandarin in China, featuring in the lingering and inextricability, as well as in smoothness and spaciousness. The Kunqu opera attaches great importance to the control of the voice, and the cadent adjustment of the rhythmic flows, the tonguing manners, etc,
What’s also worth noticing for friends to learn Chinese in China that the complete instrumental accompaniments, with the flutes as the main instruments, which has had contributed to the charms and beauties of the Kunqu, for this reason, many other types of Chinese operas have had been constantly borrowing from the Kunqu opera. As can be discovered by people who had traveled to China and would like to study Chinese in China that Kunqu has had integrated the techniques of expression such as singing, dialogues, acting, and acrobatics, etc, which has had been comprehensively demonstrated and adeptly presented through the performances, therefore, many performers of other genres of drama have had been enhancing their levels through the learning of the Kunqu opera.