The Beauty of Kunqu Opera

Universit chinoise de Hong Kong

This course will focus on the historical and cultural background, literary aesthetics, music, and
performance of Kunqu, Chinas classical opera. After viewing the lecture videos presented by
scholars and renowned maestros in the field of Kunqu, students understanding and appreciation of
Chinese performing arts, classical literature and traditional culture will be enhanced.

Enseign par : Prof. Wei Hua , Professor and Division Head

Department of Chinese Language and Literature

Enseign par : Prof. Kenneth Hsien-yung Pai , Wei Lun Professor of Humanities
Faculty of Arts

Enseign par : Prof. Lindy Li Mark , Professor Emerita

Anthropology

Programme de cours
WEEK 1
An Introduction to the Beauty of Kunqu Opera
Welcome to The Beauty of Kunqu Opera! The following lecture videos will give you some ideas of
the historical background and characteristics of Kunqu, Chinas classical opera that originated more
than 600 years ago and blossomed during the late Ming and early Qing dynasties (around 16th
17th centuries). The introduction is followed by excerpts and analysis of The Peony Pavilion,
Kunqus masterpiece. The poetic artistry shown in the arias, dialogues and dance movement of the
characters exemplifies the aesthetic achievement of Kunqu.
5 vidos
1. Vido: 1.1. A brief introduction to Kunqu
2. Vido: 1.2. High points of Kunqu during the late Ming and early Qing dynasties
3. Vido: 1.3. The socio-historical background of Kunqu in 16th- and 17th-century China
4. Vido: 1.4.The Peony Pavilion, its poetry and performance
5. Vido: 1.5. From page to stage: The Peony Pavilion as masterpiece

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WEEK 2
The Beauty of Kunqu Music
Kunqu means music/song (qu) that originated from the district of Kunshan, Jiangsu province. The
word itself shows the fundamental role played by music in this Chinese classical opera. This week,
Prof. Lindy Li Mark from the California State University, East Bay will talk about the musical
aspect of Kunqu. What are the musical features of Kunqu melodies? What is tune-type and what
does a traditional score of Kunqu look like? How is the music of Kunqu different from that of the
Western operas? What instruments are used in a Kunqu ensemble? Answers to these questions can
be found in the lecture videos.
5 vidos
1. Vido: 2.1. A brief introduction to Kunqu music
2. Vido: 2.2. Musical features of Kunqu melodies
3. Vido: 2.3. Analytical definition of tune-type: qupai
4. Vido: 2.4. Contrasts between Western opera and Kunqu opera
5. Vido: 2.5. Traditional instruments of Kunqu ensemble: changmian

WEEK 3
The Art of Kunqu Performance: the Male Role-Types
Just like other genres of Chinese opera, Kunqu has a broad range of role-types, such as male
(sheng), female (dan), painted face (jing) and comic (chou). From this week on, legendary
performing artists who have devoted their whole lives to Kunqu will talk about the role-types they
specialize in and their facial makeup, costume, singing, speaking and movements. In addition, they
will demonstrate some of the very important repertoires in Kunqu and share with us the
characteristics of each of them. This week, Maestros Yue Meiti and Cai Zhengren will talk about
one of the most important role-types of Kunqu, the male role-type. Classical plays such as The Jade
Hairpin, The Shepherd, and The Palace of Eternal Life will be introduced as well.
6 vidos
1. Vido: 3.1. Comparison between the young scholar and the official role-types
2. Vido: 3.2.1. Singing and speaking of the young scholar role-type
3. Vido: 3.2.2. Foot work and hand gestures of the young scholar role-type
4. Vido: 3.2.3. Hand, eye,body, and step combined: "Repartee of Zithers", a scene from The
Jade Hairpin
5. Vido: 3.3. Demostration of the young official role-type: "Looking Homeward", a scene
from The Shepherd
6. Vido: 3.4. Demostration of the great official role-type: "Lamenting before the Statue", a
scene from The Palace of Eternal Life

WEEK 4
The Art of Kunqu Performance: the Female Role-Type
The female role-type is another prominent role-type of Kunqu and can be divided into a number of
subtypes. In this week lively lectures and demonstration by Maestros Zhang Jingxian (mature
female), Zhang Jiqing (young noble lady), Liang Guyin (vivacious young female) and Wang
Zhiquan (martial female) will show us the charisma of the diversified female characters on the
Kunqu stage from Chinese classics such as The Lute, The Peony Pavilion and Journey to the West.

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9 vidos
1. Vido: 4.1.1. Categories of female role-types in Kunqu
2. Vido: 4.2.1. Demonstration of the mature female role-type
3. Vido: 4.3.1."Search for the Dream", a scene from The Peony Pavilion: imaging the
romantic mindset of a young woman
4. Vido: 4.3.2. "Search for the Dream", a scene from The Peony Pavilion: disappointment
5. Vido: 4.4.1. Benefiting from many masters: Liang Guyin studies "Earthly Desires"
6. Vido: 4.4.2. Focus on critical points: using eye movement and acting distracted as she
recites
7. Vido: 4.4.3. Pantomime, song, and dance combined: "counting arhats" and escaping down
the mountain
8. Vido: 4.5.1. Equal demands of singing and martial arts in Borrowing the Plantain Leaf
Magic Fan, a scene from The Journey to the West
9. Vido: 4.5.2. Innovation in the scene: "belly pain"

WEEK 5
The Art of Kunqu Performance: Integration of the Painted Face and Warrior Role-Types
The colorful and complex facial makeup of the painted face role-type is probably the most
noticeable feature in the eyes of the audience. But what does facial makeup mean and how is it
done? This week, Maestro Hou Shaokui will unfold the mysteries for us. He will also share with us
his portrayal of Lord Guan, a well-known household character based on the most famous Chinese
historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms. What is more, this unique character combines the
essence of both the painted face and warrior role-types.
5 vidos
1. Vido: 5.1. Face paint patterns and costumes various painted face roles
2. Vido: 5.2. Use of the beard and eyes in the enactment of Lord Guan
3. Vido: 5.3. Importance of singing in "Into the Enemy Camp Alone"
4. Vido: 5.4. Importance of speech and recitation
5. Vido: 5.5. Movement and facial expression

WEEK 6
The Art of Kunqu Performance: the Comic Role-Type
When appreciating the well written script and the beautiful melody of Kunqu, sometimes audiences
just want a good laugh in the theatre. This cannot be done without the contribution of the comic
role-type. This week, Maestro Zhang Mingrong will explain the characteristics of the different
subtypes of the comic role-type, namely young chou, fu chou and martial/acrobatic chou. From
Maestro Zhangs demonstration we will also see that mastering the comic role-type requires much
more skill than just natural talent.
4 vidos
1. Vido: 6.1. Categories of male comic role-types in Kunqu
2. Vido: 6.2. Demonstration of two monks in "Escape from the Monastery" (young chou) and
"Touring the Prayer Hall" (fu chou)
3. Vido: 6.3. Acrobatic action with lyrical singing: "Shi Qian Steals the Armor"
4. Vido: 6.4. Agility within logic and surprise: excerpt from "Shi Qian Steals the Armor"

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WEEK 7
The New Aesthetics of Kunqu: Tradition and Modernity
Drawing examples from the production of The Peony Pavilion (Young Lovers Edition) and The
Jade Hairpin (New Edition), Prof. Kenneth Hsien-yung Pai will illustrate how Kunqu today can
attract the younger generation by adding modern elements in stagecraft while preserving the basic
aesthetics of Kunqu.
4 vidos
1. Vido: 7.1. Kunqu and Chinese traditional aesthetics
2. Vido: 7.2. The Young Lovers' Edition Peony Pavilion and The New Edition Jade Hairpin:
connecting tradition and modernity
3. Vido: 7.3. The Young Lovers' Edition Peony Pavilion: innovations in stagecraft
4. Vido: 7.4. The New Edition Jade Hairpin: return to classicism, synthesis of graphic and
calligraphic arts

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 The Beauty of Kunqu Opera

I An Introduction to the Beauty of Kunqu Opera

I-1 A brief introduction to Kunqu

The art of Kunqu opera has attained a high level of aesthetic achievement.In 2001, UNESCO has
declared Kunqu to be a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.Therefore,
we feel that this operatic genre deservesto be promoted world-wide. And to that end wedesigned
this course: The Beauty of Kunqu Opera. First, literary aesthetics.The literary aesthetics of Kunqu
is based on the richness of its scripts.These dramatic scripts are made up of sequences of poetry
composed according to established schemata called qupai , or tune titles. With the poetry of
luminaries such as Tang Xianzu (1550-1616) and Hong Sheng (1645-1704),Kunqu plays are not
only classics of drama, but also classics of literature. Second, musical aesthetics.The chief
accompanying instrument for Kunqu singingis the transverse bamboo flute. This instrument
possessesthe flowing lyrical beauty of southern Chinese culture.Third, very important, the aesthetics
of dance.Kunqu has a very strictly formulaic style of song and dance.As we say: no song without
the dance.Every phrase that is sung is accompanied by rigorously choreographed movementKunqu
is the kind of art that expresses the deepest emotion with the most beautiful form.

I-2 High points of Kunqu during the late Ming and early Qing dynasties

Why is it called Kunqu ? Because it is native to the district of Kunshan , Jiangsu province.
Therefore it is called Kunshan qiang (song, or music), or Kun qiang for short, or Kunqu.
Or one can add an adjective Kunshan water-milled music. Water milled describes the melody,
so refined and melodiousas if milled with water. During the Ming dynasty, especially the latter
half, Kunqu was the popular music of the time. It was performed on Tiger Hill to great audiences. A
park in the city of Suzhou. During the Autumn Moon Festival, thousands will gather around
Tiger Hill in Suzhou to sing Kunqu. Can you imagine? So many people gathered there during the
night of the Moon Festival singing Kunqu together. As the evening wore on, people gradually
departed. By two or three past midnight, only a few people are left. But those who remained are the
most expert singers. The best singers stay until two or three hours past midnight. Softly they stayed
to singing one song after another until tears filled their eyes. Just like us, when beautiful music
moves us to tears. This was how people spent Moon Festival night. Kunqu was also performed on
crimson quyu . quyu refers to carpets, crimson carpet. A red carpet is usually laid on the stage
for performances. Dramatic performances has a special meaning in late Ming society. Men of letters
of southern China are not only fond of drama, they love all the cultural arts. Therefore these literati
gather in cultural salons whenever they had leisure time. For example if we host a luncheon at
home, we prepare a delicious banquet and eat together. But we do not leave after eating. We take
away the dishes, and put down a big red carpet in the dining room. Then we hire the best actors to
perform on the red carpet. They perform chuanqi plays and sing Kunqu. Can you imagine what is
the life of the literati of late Ming? Sleeping late until eleven oclock; eat. Eat the best foods with
close friends. After the meal, send for the best actors to perform on the red carpet. Not satisfied
even after three oclock in the afternoon. But wanting to change the place to my friends across
town. So a group of us go from my home to your home. Now we are in southern delta region, how
do we travel? We do not walk there, nor by car, we go by boat. So a bunch of us board a boat.

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Perhaps it takes forty minutes by boat from my house to your house. But these forty minutes cant
be wasted either. Boats of that time have three tiers; we sit in the lowest. What about the second
tier? Occupied by beauties, beautiful singers. On the third tier are books and paintings. You dont
want them to get wet so they are on the third tier. After we are aboard, the books and paintings are
brought down and as we admire the books and paintings, beauties are summoned from the second
tier. They play the flute and sing Kunqu for us. After listening for about forty minutes, the boat
arrives at your house. Then we start to have dinner at your house, after eating a red carpet is again
laid out So you can imagine the popularity of Kunqu during the late Ming and early Qing.

I-3 The socio-historical background of Kunqu in 16th- and 17th-century China

How did Kunqu reach such great artistic heights within two hundred years? This is my topic for
discussion. If we do not understand the historical background, we cannot know how Kunqu attained
such greatness. The sounds of Kunqu echo still today. When we look back, we find that this art
(Kunqu) is indeed one of mankinds great achievements. Its aesthetic achievement, can be placed at
the head of that of any civilization. How did this happen? From the middle of the Ming dynasty,
the delta region of southern China, including other regions of China where transportation was
convenient, great socio-economic changes took place. In West, some scholars referred to this time
as the pre-capitalist period: the so-called pre-modern period. That is to say, entire societies were
changing, China was also changing. Before this, we called Chinese society an agrarian empire. We
spoke of: agriculture as foundation; commerce the least. Literati, peasantry, craftsmen, merchant,
was the ideal social hierarchy in Chinese history. But in the 16th century there was a great change.
In southern China, there were several great lines of water transportation. One was the Yangzi river;
the other was the Grand Canal. In addition, the coastal region around Nanjing, Suzhou, and
Hangzhou, became cultural centers because of economic development. The entire southern region
along the Yangzi and the Grand Canal, northward from northern Jiangsu to Shandong, and then on
to Beijing, the economy along this line was burgeoning. The whole world was (also) changing. A
great event was Spains occupation of the Americas. Portugal dominated the Indian trade route
from the Cape of Good Hope to Malacca, and on to east Asia. The early expansion of the West
reached Asia, including China. Asia, especially China was a great agrarian empire. It also had rather
strong military power. Its social organization was also quite strong. Therefore, China did not
collapse immediately, or change immediately. But China did change (eventually). This change from
late Ming to early Qing dynasties caused the entire society to become rather open. The same time
saw the rise of the merchant class. Society favored economic power, not just the traditional political
power. At the same time, lifestyle began to change. Gradually, consumerism became the goal of the
population. Innovation in the realms of culture, art, and recreation, all proliferated. Some people
began to promote consumerism. This was very important and rare in traditional Chinese society. Lu
Ji (1515-1552) spoke about those who advocated economizing: Thinking that thrift will enrich the
people. But he said: not so. Thrift can only forestall poverty. For example, if a family is thrifty,
this family can avoid poverty. But to govern a country, one cannot say this. Only spending can
accomplish great things in a nation. He gave this example: People in places of poverty have
difficulty making a living. But if you look at the rich places, the best, the most luxurious places in
the south are Suzhou and Hangzhou. Consuming the best foods without cultivating;
wearing brocades without pushing the weaving shuttle. That is to say, there are many who eat well
and wear the best garments but never have to work. He said that consumerism can create
employment. His ideas are just like what we hear today. Consumption is great, everybody will have
jobs, will make a living. We must remember it is four or five hundred years ago that someone said
this in pre-modern China. Such words show that Chinese society was undergoing great changes.
Will such changes lead to evolution of culture and the arts? The proliferation of luxuries and the
desire for consumption led to the refinement of tastes and desire for luxuries. These led to the trend

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toward romanticism during the late Ming era. When we look back at these (historical) records we
can understand the enormity of the changes, and how these changes led to the refinement in tastes.
The refinement in tastes begins with material consumption and then leads to seeking spiritual
consumerism. The striving for aestheticism is also closely related to these phenomena. The striving
for spirituality cannot be separated from material foundation. This is clear. The rise of Kunqu took
place in this environment.

I-4 The Peony Pavilion, its poetry and performance

In my opinion, Kunqu is an art that actualizing (Chinese) poetic sensibilities on stage through music
and dance. The meaning of poetry is one-dimensional from the reading perspective, it depends
solely on our imagination no matter how beautiful the poetry. But when moved onto the stage with
song and dance, we can hear the music, see the movement, we can then experience the poetic
artistry in (other dimensions). The greatest distinction of Kunqu is not in conflict resolution such as
in Greek and Shakespearean tragedies. Not in Kunqu. Kunqus strength lies in romantic episodes,
flowers and grasses making such episodes tangible and allowing you to experience their beauty.
Kunqus strength lies in such romantic episodes. Therefore, I have selected several famous poetic
arias from The Peony Pavilion to illustrate how Tang Xianzu expresses his central theme; how he
expresses his philosophy through his beautiful poetry. Interrupted dream is the crucial scene in
The Peony Pavilion , the most important scene. The story of The Peony Pavilion is well known. It
is about the beloved daughter Liniang, sixteen years old, the only daughter of Du Bao, the pearl on
his palm. Because she is the only daughter, her upbringing is very strict. So an old scholar Chen
Zuiliang was engaged to tutor her. It happens that she has a fourteen-year-old maid, Chunxiang,
as her study companion. Tang Xianzu knows how to choose names (for his characters): Liniang
beautiful girl; Chunxiang the fragrance of spring time. That little Chunxiang is like early
springa lively and innocent young girl. She has no use for the old masters books. She just wants
the young mistress to have fun with her in the garden. In the Ming dynasty, family discipline was
very strict. Young women can only stay inside their boudoir. They cannot even walk into their own
familys garden. Because when (young ladies) take a walk in the garden a young man may jump in,
then what? Such things happen often in classical plays and stories. When a young lady offers
incense in the garden, a young scholar appears suddenly and they pledge themselves to each other
it happens often. Therefore, the back garden was thought to be dangerous territory at the time.
But Du Liniang and Chunxiang went to garden secretly. As a result they saw the garden in the
splendor of spring:
Already bright purple and passion pink bloom in profusion. This scene touched her heart; she felt
the surge of lifes force. On the other hand, the beauty of spring will pass quickly. Sixteen-year-old
Du Liniang is like at the height of spring time. She is afraid that her beauty will fade quickly. Such a
beautiful spring time seems so empty without a handsome mate. The beauty of youth wasted, as I
just said. Her thinking led her to many more thoughts. This is the most important part of Kunqu:
Actually there are only emotions, no momentous happenings. The scene A stroll in the garden and
interrupted dream begins in an interesting way. Before Du Liniang goes out, she wants to get
dressed, formally dressed. She wants to make herself beautiful. Du Liniang is a girl who takes pride
in herself All my life I love beauty; it is my nature. She knows she is beautiful, proud of her
flower-like and moon-lit beauty. She looks in the mirror. I think you young people
all like to look in the mirror. (But) to look in the mirror in a beautiful way is not so easy. How does
a beautiful woman look in the mirror in a beautiful way? That is the famous thrice in the mirror.
Let us see how Du Liniang looks in the mirror. There is no drama here on the face of it. But Kunqu
can dramatize these expressive moments and draw you into the rapture (of the play). After that,
they enter the garden and saw spring time rife in the garden. This is a famous scene in The Peony

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Pavilion .
Before now, I talked about how to look in the mirror. Its not easy to gaze into the mirror three
times, back and forth three times. So beautiful, the water sleeves like that I just talked about from
two dimensions to three dimensions. The two-dimensional is to imagine how she looks into the
mirror. The three-dimensional is how it is dramatized in that way (on stage). Finally Du Liniang
enters the garden. Seeing spring in the garden was a shock. There are some who say that her one
step into the garden is the equivalent of breaking up the orthodox social values of the late Ming
dynasty. I think that one step symbolically liberated the whole person. Spring time in the garden,
heaven and human united,united with nature. That is why she was moved by what she saw. She was
very happy at the beginning.
Then spring time (happiness) turn to melancholy. Spring fades very quickly, like her own youth. If
spring time is not treasured, not shared, it will wilt quickly. As you can see Already, bright
purple and passion pink bloom in profusion. Flowers and grasses in the garden Yet to
crumbling well, faded walls, such splendor is abandoned. The contrast between blooming and
fading, is immediately felt. So she thought: But in this glorious season, where are sounds of joy in
this garden? Such a beautiful day, but I have no enjoyment. Others are enjoying spring time, but I
am locked up in my chamber. Du Liniang felt her loneliness deeply. She is very sensitive, although
calm and dignified on the outside, that is how her father wants her to behave. But her heart is
troubled; she is a passionate young woman. Her emotions are locked inside. Now she is deeply
moved. Mornings take wing, evenings unfold,
beyond green arbors rosy clouds soar. The beautiful scenery is her imagination. n windy strands
of rain
Such beautiful poetry. Strands of rain is not so strange (an expression), slicing wind is truly
imaginative. Strands of rain and slicing wind are beautiful imageries. When she sings, we feel
the beauty of words, the beauty of Kunqu lies in its imagery. When we hear the beautiful words,
matched to dance, Kunqu raised another dimension (of the poetry). Those (maidens) shielded
behind screens Women secluded in chambers are wasting their youth. Now let us view this
famous scene: The maid and mistress, a pas de deux in the garden, very beautiful. A fan is able to
bring flowers and grasses alive on the stage. This the greatness of Kunqu (dance). An empty stage,
just a fan can create unlimited space for you. Reading the poetry, seeing her actions, can expand
your imagination. Following this scene, because of the many stimulation, she read the Osprey
(from the Book of Odes ), strolled in the garden, and saw the flowering of spring. Now she (Du
Liniang) had a dream. This is the most famous dream scene in all of Chinese dramatic literature. A
sixteen-year-old aristocratic young woman, had a dream in broad daylight, making love with a
young scholar on the peony pavilion ecstasy of fish in water. Very romantic, very beautiful. At
such times I feel that Tang Xianzu wrote (the love scene) in a straightforward and daring manner.
Because he wrote so well, it does not seem pornographic. Now, the young scholar entered, saw her,
and said: For your beauty that flowers with the flowing river of time. Such a beautiful girls,
followed by flowing river of time. Such a beauty as you, if no one treasures you, your youthful
beauty will fade very fast. Like the flowing water, disappearing in a moment. So he said: I sought
you everywhere, but you are languishing in your boudoir. Dont languish in your chamber, I am
coming. Let us talk with each other. around yonder peony lattice, right by the pond-side hill, Let
us unbutton our collar button and loosen our sash Undo their clothing very straightforward.
He wrote so straightforwardly; he can do that because in a dream, he can be very straightforward.
But in the real world, it would not be quite right if a man and woman were to be so open. It would
not be so beautiful, no poetic imagery. Only in a dream, can he (the writer) be so imaginative
and straightforward. Bite the ends of your sleeve, and bear with this tender sleep. Then, duet:
Have we met somewhere before?
Gazing at each other in wonder? Meeting in this wonderful place without a word. They seem to be
destined to be together, as if they have met in a previous life. This is a famous section. Like I just
said, (Kunqu) uses song and dance to realize the poetic imagery on stage. That is why the dance is
especially important. When you read the poetry, you find it beautiful, but there is more space for the

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imagination. But to bring out the reality of the love tryst, lies here in the dance. This (dance
sequence) is the result of generations of (choreographic) research by the old masters. How to
express the love between a couple look at the water sleeves intertwined to express the poetic
imagery of their feeling, the beautiful use of the sleeves. When it ( The Peony Pavilion ) was
performed in England, the British critics were taken by surprise. They said that the expression of
love on stage especially the love tryst is so well expressed. To express such love with sleeves
took them by surprise. They said so graceful and yet so sexually charged. Truly, so much
unspoken (passion). (Sings): [Red Mountain Peach] For your beauty that flowers with the flowing
river of time. I sought you everywhere, but you languish in your chamber. (Speaks): Lady, lets talk
over there. Where? (Sings): Well around yonder peony lattice, right by the pond-side hill; let us
undo our collar button and loosen our sash. Bite the ends of your sleeve, and bear with this tender
sleep. Have we met somewhere before? Gazing at each other in wonder, as we meet in this
wonderful place, without speaking a word.

I-5 From page to stage: The Peony Pavilion as masterpiece

The Peony Pavilion of Tang Xianzu is a simple story. (It is) about Du Liniang (a young woman)
who took a Stroll in the garden (and later fell asleep), she was startled and waken from her
dream. The word startled is very apt, why startled? She was awakened from her dream (by
falling flowers). My teacher translated startled as The interrupted dream . But this awakening is
not only from a dream; the entire dream is a self-awakening. This is what is great about this play:
it is about self-discovery, an understanding of ones existence, and a search for meaning in ones
existence. This dream is the main topic of our lecture today. Here are a few quotations from The
Peony Pavilion . These sentences are what makes this play meaningful. Do you know that all my
life, I love beauty, Like the early spring that no one sees. Here, love beauty does not mean love
of nature ,not mountain climbing (and such). This is what Du Liniang said to Chunxiang (her maid).
She dresses herself up just for a stroll in the garden; this is pathetic. Who is there to see her? Yet she
still meticulously gets dressed up and does her hair. The scene A stroll in the garden, readers of
the play will know, begins with her (Du Liniang) getting dressed and putting on jewelry in her hair,
and then she discovers her own beauty in her reflection in the mirror. That is when she said (sang)
this... you should take notice that when in a play suddenly there appears a rather abstract remark
as if a universal remark. Sometimes this reveals the writers own inner thought. Do you know that
love of beauty is my nature? The two critical words in the whole of The Peony Pavilion are
love and beauty. In The Peony Pavilion , love is united with beauty. Because loving beauty
makes one wish to enjoy the beauty of life. Just then, when she was in the garden, she felt this
beauty her own beauty, the beauty of spring time, beauty of the garden, all were in vain hidden
from view. That is why she had this dream of fulfillment. Tang Xianzu says it well: one need not see
a person to be in love. There is an English saying: love at first sight, as if seeing a person in the
flesh: her fair complexion, straight nose, slim waist, long legs but (Tang Xianzu does not mean)
this kind of love. He means a philosophical search for the ideal beauty. Tang Xianzu says it well:
Where does love arise? Followed by: It wells up from the deep. Then (he writes): For love the
living can die, for love the dead can revive. Then he turns around and says: If the living will not
die for it, and the dead that will not revive it is not the ultimate love. If you know the moral
concept of Neo-Confucianism, you will understand Where does love arise: love is of divine
origin, as spontaneous. Why does Tang place this ideal on a sixteen-year-old inexperienced,
pure, young girl? Because this is the wellspring of purity. This notion is different from our
present day, contrived or even selfish pursuit of love. This then, is Tang Xianzus striving for a
superior love. Then follows For your beauty that flowers with the flowing river of time This is
another concern of Tang Xianzu in The interrupted dream: namely, the meaning of love in life
under the pressure of time. If we all can live for a thousand years, or ten thousand years, youth is no

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longer meaningful; your love also has less meaning. Experience can always be repeated. But human
life is finite. In Western poetry there is a saying: Time is like a winged chariot. A Chinese saying
goes: Time vanishes like a white steed crossing a crevice These sayings mean more or less the
same thing. Because life is finite, when you are young, in the full bloom of youth, you wish there is
someone who appreciates your beauty, who knows your heart, and also realizes that time will flow
away like water. Therefore, passion and time, passion and beauty, passion and fate Finally he
talks about love and truth. This sentence is in fact very tragic. Because: love in dreams may not be
unreal that is to say, this love can be extended beyond the personal and the emotional. The quest
for love can mean so much more. There is a popular song titled: To dream the impossible dream It
means the same thing. Like Don Quixote fighting the windmill, the same thing. Love in dreams
may not be unreal. Why does Tang Xianzu portray love in a dream? Very simple, because in the
real world, Du Liniang can never find an ideal lover. Only in the spiritual world, can she find
freedom and fulfillment. (However) this ideal is only understandable in the context of late Ming
society. At that time there was a great emphasis on the education of women. There were many
books titled rules of the boudoir , telling women you cannot sit with your legs apart; you cannot
smile at men. Therefore a female who is not free to find emotional fulfillment, she will seek
fulfillment in dreams. This then, the special social background (of Ming China). A special time will
give birth to special literature. Now I will talk about the formation of excerpted scenes.
Excerpted scene is a special expression. About the second half of the sixteenth century,
excerpted scenes became the prevalent theatrical venue. Printing also became highly developed at
that time. Just as we look at an anthology of songs today, (printers) would select frequently
performed scenes, scenes that people might like to learn to sing, and collect (the scenes) and print
them in an anthology. At that time the scenes were called chu , or acts. Not until the Qing dynasty,
as the art of Kunqu reached its height, did the term excerpted scenes become common usage.
(Excerpted scenes) are often crucial parts (of the play); often climactic, displaying virtuosic artistry,
well received by audiences, and capable of standing by themselves. After generations of refinement
by actors, (certain scenes) become stand-alone works of art. Why do I emphasize excerpted
scenes here? Because this is a rather special performance mode (in Kunqu theatre). If you go to see
Shakespeares Hamlet today, the advertisement will not say: The third and fourth scenes are
presented today. Never. Western dramatic scenes have no titles; audiences havent a clue to their
contents, no mention of which main characters scene is being presented. Nothing. Only the
Chinese theatrical tradition has such performances. In several (frequently excerpted scenes) from
The Peony Pavilion you will see the young noble lady role-type perform in A stroll in the
garden, Interrupted dream, and Search for the dream. Of course A stroll in the garden
features not limited to the young noble lady role-type. There is, in addition the vivacious female
role-type, also known as the sixth female role-type. It is a happy lively female role-type,
whereas the young noble lady is sedate and noble. Finding the portrait and Calling to the
portrait feature the young scholar role-type. Then there is the great judge in hell, in the great
painted face role-type. Then there is a comic role-type in the scene Asking the way. These are
frequently performed excerpted scenes during the late Qing dynasty. Therefore we refer to them as
classic excerpted scenes. Mei Lanfang said it well. He said that famous plays are not only
literature for reading, their ultimate purpose is performance. Actors and musicians created a highly
refined artistic performance system. Wherefore we have a rich aesthetic creation in The Peony
Pavilion today that we may immerse ourselves in (its beauty). We can read the text, recite the
poetry, or we can watch a video or movie clip and feel its beauty.

II The Beauty of Kunqu Music

II-1 A brief introduction to Kunqu music

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(Sings): [Tang Duo Song] Moon mirror undimmed by dust, (Speaks): My lady, is your hair done up
yet? Coming (Sings): fresh make-up reflected in the dresser mirror, wind from the Qiantang river
sweeps through this rustic studio. (Speaks): Husband My lady (Sings): Last night, the sky
beyond the clouds was perfumed by cassia blooming in the moonlight. Hello, welcome to The
Beauty of Kunqu Opera again. Today I'd like to introduce you to the music of Kunqu. Kunqu, this
genre of classical Chinese opera has been performed since the mid sixteenth century. After nearly
five hundred years of ups and downs, and near extinction during World War II, and the political
turmoil thereafter, Kunqu recently has undergone a strong renaissance. People inside and outside of
the Chinese language world have discovered, or Ill say, rediscovered the literary value of the texts,
and the aesthetic value of its music and dance. Now as you've seen from the previous video clip,
Kunqu theatre is a combination of music, gorgeous costumes, artistic but stylized facial makeup,
singing, and intricate choreography. Now, underlying all of these aspects is the music, especially the
singing parts. Yet the musical aspect of Kunqu, namely, this structural underpinning of the entire
production, is also the least understood and underappreciated. Well, I hope Ill change that a little
bit today. I'll begin with some surface features that immediately strike your ears, namely, the
difference between the Kunqu vocal technique, and what we're used to today in modern and
Western music. First, you might have noticed that the young man is singing at a high, semi falsetto
register, equal to the pitch level of the female singer. Now, just let me remind you that in the 17th
and 18th centuries, in European Baroque operas, counter tenors, male sopranos, were (also) very
popular. Second, (in) Kunqu music, the singing part, is highly melismatic. Namely, one word or one
syllable in Chinese a word is equal to a syllable, might be carried over half a dozen notes or more
and over several beats. Kind of like the old Gregorian chants. But unlike the Gregorian chants,
which are sung very smoothly, drawing out the vowels; Kunqu singing emphasizes the initial
consonant of each word. The beginning of each word, that is, the initial consonant is sung with a
slight push from the diaphragm, clearly marking the beginning of each word no matter how many
musical notes there are before the next word. This feature is especially noticeable in the flute
accompaniment, where the flutist will execute a subtle, a very fast trill or turn just before the main
note. In other words, the accompaniment precedes the word by a fraction of a second. This is the
performance practice. It's not sloppy ensemble.

II-2 Musical features of Kunqu melodies

Now I have to go through some rather technical aspects of Kunqu melodies, especially those aspects
that might seem a little bit abstruse to those who are uninitiated, including Chinese listeners. First of
all I'll talk about mode. In western music we talk about keys. The notion of key is harmonic. Kunqu
music has two basic modes: a pentatonic mode which is five tones without the semi tones: do, re,
mi, sol, la There is also a heptatonic mode which is just a diatonic (mode): do, re, mi, fa, sol, la ,
ti, do. Nowadays, Kunqu music uses only two (counting) six pitch levels. We are used to calling
these keys, which is not entirely appropriate. But based on the key signatures, the starting tone
would be D this is in order of frequency of use: D, F, G, C, E, and B flat in that order of
frequency. So you might think of these as the keys of D, F, G, C, E, and B flat, starting, of course,
with middle C, which is in the middle of the piano (keyboard). Now you might think that this is
fairly simple and it is.
But the music is not so simple. Next I'll talk about Kunqu musical meters:
that is, the rhythm, the beat pattern. Fortunately, (although) Kunqu melodies are very complicated,
but the rhythm is fairly simple. We have an eight beat measure, which is actually a combination of
two four beat measures, usually written as 4 + 4 over 4 in terms of key (time) signature. Then we
have a four beat measure: one two three four; then you have a two beat measure which is fairly fast.
And then you have what I call unmetered rhythm.

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Or sometimes we will call it rubato in Western music. Some theorists, I will say, call this free
rhythm. I'm not fond of that notion of free rhythm because free might mean you can sing it
anyway you want. That's not true (in Kunqu). It simply means that one person might sing this note a
little longer than the next person; or they will run two words together, but you cant stray too far
from the basic performance practice. Now here comes the tricky part about Kunqu rhythm. In
Western music we have a very strong, or perceptible contrast between strong beats and weak beats.
For example, you have: one , two, three, four; One , two, three, four; or one two, one two. You
can feel that strong and the weak part of the rhythm. In Kunqu music you don't have the strong
contrast in stress. It's: one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight.
one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. So how are you going to tell where the measure begins?
Well, you have to listen to the percussionist. Because in Kunqu number one beat is always played
on the clapper. If you can see the orchestra you will see the wooden clapper: one(clap), two, three,
four; one(clap), two, three, four So you have to listen for the contrast in the tone to be able to tell
where the first beat is. This is, if you are listening to a performance where you can see the orchestra.
Today, often the orchestras in the pit down below (the stage). You see the conductor's hand just
slightly above the orchestra pit. But I think if you are aware of this, you are going to be listening for
that clapper. Now here comes another difficulty. Nowadays Kunqu is often performed with a huge
orchestra, you can't even hear the clapper and the drum. But if you're aware of this you will know
that if you can't feel this metered rhythm. It's okay. That's what Kunqu is like. Just enjoy the tunes.
Another part of the Kunqu melody which my students have found difficult is that 94% or more of
Kunqu melodies have no thematic or motific repeats within the entire melody line. So imagine
listening to a song that goes for two and a half or three and half minutes and you cant tell where it
is going because you don't find any repeated patterns. If you think about the popular music you
hear, or the classical (Western) music that you might have studied in your piano lessons
or violin lessons, there is a beautiful melody, and then there's immediately a repeat of the melody, or
there might be a part of that, or a motif of this theme, that is repeated many times, perhaps in
different keys. If you think about this, it's easier to follow the melody if you hear it again right
away. In Kunqu music you will find from the beginning to end there are no repeats. This means you
have to learn to remember a long melodic sequence without any repeats And I say 95% because
there are few pieces where you do have thematic repeats. and those are the ones that I usually begin
with when I teach my students because it's easier to follow. Another difficult part about Kunqu
music is that the melodic phrases are frequently unequal in length. You might have one phrase that's
4 beats and the next phrase might be five and a half beats. The next one might go on for nine beats.
So I think it's possible for everyone to learn to appreciate this kind of music if you're prepared to do
so. Its kind of like modern poetry. Modern poetry has uneven lines. One line might be three words,
the next one would be seven, or the next one would be running over several lines. So think of a
Kunqu melody as something like modern poetry, modernistic poetry.

II-3 Analytical definition of tune-type: qupai

Now forgive my very unprofessional, but Kunqu lovers voice. I'll sing a lyric of a song which has a
title
I call it the tune-type title: Crimson slippers. Hong xiuxie Now why do I call this a tune-
type? Now imagine the weather's very nice today. And I decided to write a short poem about
well, about taking a hike in the hills, or rowing a boat down a river or lake, or whatever. And then I
put on the top in quotes: Happy Birthday. This means I want you to sing this song to the tune
of Happy Birthday, which everybody knows. I don't have to put any notation down,
everybody knows Happy Birthday. So the text is different but the melody is the same. Kunqu is
something like that. You have a tune title; the tune title has nothing to do with the content of the
poetry. But it represents a melodic structure that you're supposed to use when you sing this text.

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Now the complication is that in Kunqu there are over 1600 of these tune titles; These tune titles
have usually very colorful names. They are highly evocative, like: Sheep on the hillside;
or Lazy bird; or as I say, Crimson slippers. These names could just as well be Tune number
one, number two, number three, up to 1644 of them. What these tune-titles represent is a formula.
This formula includes: the number of words, the number of lines, the number of syllables in each
line, and the rhyming pattern. For example, Crimson slipperswhich I'm going to demonstrate in
a minute, has 37 words; its divided into six lines. The first line has 7 words, broken up into 3-word
and 4-word phrases. In other words, there are 7 syllables in the first line: 3+4. The second line also
has 3+ 4. The third line has 6 words altogether.
1, 2, 3, 4 The fourth line has 5 words. The fifth line has 5 words. And the very last line has 6 plus
1 (words). And I say 6 plus 1 because the one is an extra metric syllable . In this type of Kunqu
(poetic) structure the poet who writes the lyric has the liberty to add an occational word outside the
prescribed meter. Now I'm going to show you an example of what a Chinese (Kunqu) musical score
looks like. On this page you will see some large characters.
That's the text of the lyrics that I'm going to sing. Those small characters that are going off on the
side that are slanted, these are the musical notes. Now above those slanted lines of small characters
there are some dots, some triangles, some big dots. Those are the beats. Between beats there are
some small characters that are a little bit above. Those are the added embellishment notes. This type
of notation is called gongche pu and it dates from about the mid-eighteenth century. We have no
musical notation for Kunqu before that date. The notation obviously must be older than that, but we
have no primitive manuscripts. Today, most of the younger people who are learning Kunqu use a
cipher notation. The cipher notation uses Roman numerals: Do is 1, Re is 2, Mi is 3 and so forth and
so on. And the lines underneath the numbers indicate whether it's a half or a quarter note, an eighth
note, or a sixteenth note. These are the two most common kinds of notation. Now for this
demonstration I have transcribed the gongche notation according to what I sing including the
embellishment notes into a staff notation. I know there are Chinese theorists and speakers
who object to using staff notation. But I think for this demonstration purposes, it's easier to show
the shape of the melodic line, where it begins high up, and how far below it goes. And this is why I
decided to use this kind of notation. Besides I think most modern people including Chinese
who have studied music can read this staff notation very easily. (singing) Above this riverine land,
a rosy sunset and a lone duck," rippling below, the Xiao and Xiang Rivers,reflections of the town of
Cangwu. At dusk raindrops drum on brittle fronds, midst mountain mist, human voices resound. In
misty waters fishermen raise their nets. What can I catch here of the hearts of men. Now let me
translate the text for you: Above this riverine land, a rosy sunset and a lone duck. Rippling below,
the Xiao and Xiang Rivers, reflections of the town of Cangwu. At dusk raindrops drum on brittle
fronds, Midst mountain mist, human voices resound. In misty waters fishermen raise their nets.
What can I catch here of the hearts of men. Now this particular aria and this poem
is sung by the immortal L Dongbin. Now he is waving a what we call a cloud whisk, which is a
long stick about two feet; and at the end of this is a long streamer of horse (tail) hair. This particular
prop is symbolic of a religious person, a priest or priestess. Whenever you see someone waving a
cloud whisk, he or she is either a priest or priestess but also (in some cases) a eunuch in the
service of the emperor. These are the three people (role-types) who use this kind of a prop. Now he
(L Dongbin) arrives on stage in a very smooth cloud walk, which is a heel-toe heel-toe type of
movement. And he's waving this whisk above his head, kind of like the propellers of a helicopter.
And he's flying over this (land) and he's looking down. And he sees this river, and he sees the town.
And then he sees people fishing. And he's looking for somebody. This is from the first act of Tang
Xianzus play The Dream of Handan . I'm not going into the details of this play
except to explain the meaning of this particular aria. Now it's very frequent that at the beginning of
a scene, the very first aria that is sung describes the scene. In other words the time of day, the
season, and the place whether it's inside, or in a forest; in general, the scenery. And because in the
traditional Chinese stage there are no scenic props. So the singer, the first singer that comes on, has
to tell the audience where he is, where the action is going to take place. So there's always this first

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aria which describes the place. Now what I find especially beautiful and charming about this aria, is
something we (actually, I) call sound painting. If you look at the musical score: he starts out at a
very high pitch, high D, D above high C and he goes down, descending, kind of winding
melodically until he winds up at F# below middle C. So he's dropping an octave and a half
within several measures of this music. So you can imagine if you go to the museum and see a
Chinese painting, you will always see blank space on top, which is the sky. And then there's a
mountain that comes down maybe with a waterfall. And maybe there are some houses there,
usually there are not too many people; and at the bottom is a body of water, perhaps a river or a
lake. And usually somewhere in the corner, you'll find maybe a little boat, maybe a person who's
picking up his fishing nets. In this melody, this long drop of the melodic line,
he (the author) is actually representing a painting, a landscape painting, a typical Chinese scroll,
vertical scroll, that describes a scene. And I find that this music is so expressive because it gives you
a picture, the picture that is also in the words. Now not all Kunqu tunes are so descriptive, but many
of them are. And if you listen to the music you can see
how it expresses and matches the words. Another aria that you'll hear very frequently is one which I
translated as Dark silk gown: Zao luopao from the famous opera Peony Pavilion . When the
young lady is singing this song her emotion is going up and down. And you will find that the
melodic line also goes in arcs. Perhaps later on you will have a chance to hear this aria. Now very
often scholars will say that the melody follows the tonal contours of the Chinese language. Probably
most of you know that Chinese language has tones. And they (scholars) often say that by following
the tones of the language, there is music in itself. Well, surely there is music when there is linguistic
tone. But even in languages that don't have linguistic tones you still have a sentence melody. That's
true of English. That's true of French, German. By following the linguistic tones in language I think
it is not possible to arrive at such an expressive melodic line. And I think this is the beauty of
Kunqu music:
it has a life of its own. And you have to listen to the music (and) ignore the words, even. I think if
you can find a flute solo playing this piece, or any Kunqu piece youll find that the music itself is
beautiful without the words, without the makeup, without the action on stage. And this is what I
want to convey to you today.

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II 4 Analytical definition of tune-type: qupai

Now I will point out for you some contrasts between Kunqu opera and, say, Western opera. In
Kunqu opera you will find that there's no choral singing.
Very little. In a few scenes you will find a group of people singing the same tune in unison. There's
no harmony in Kunqu. Everything is melodic. There's even very little in the way of duets, or
responsorials, where one person sings one line and another sings another line. This is very rare but
it does happen in Kunqu. Sometimes people are waiting for an exciting choral ending to a scene.
That doesn't happen in Kunqu. In Kunqu, the high point of the scene is usually somewhere
either just before, or right after the middle of a piece (or scene). And then it quiets down, shall we
say, and ends on a very calm note, which is often in an unmetered (rhythmic) style. In Western
music you'll find that it is entirely sung, especially in opera. Kunqu is something more like a
Western musical where you have singing, and you have dialogue. And you have speech.
You have soliloquys and you have dialogues. In Kunqu the language of the singing is based on
the dialect of the Wu region, that is, the Yangzi River delta region Shanghai, Suzhou, and that
area. Even within that small area there are many dialects. The language of Kunqu is based on that
dialect but it is a stage language. Now sometime in the 17th-18th centuries, Singers, and let's say
Kunqu lovers, have developed a style of singing, because of the melismatic nature of the melody, of
dividing each word into three parts: the initial , the medial , and the final . The words I'm using
here are what linguists use today because every syllable has an initial consonant, a vowel in the
middle, and sometimes an ending (consonant) an n or m, or as, in the Wu dialect a clipped, or
glottal stop at the end. So when you hear a singer sing, the emphasis is on the initial consonant, then
the vowel, and then the ending. Now let me give an example in the aria that I just sang for you. The
third word: chen jiang xiang : xi-aa-ng I sing it in three parts. Now according to the Chinese
theorists this is supposed to make the libretto, or the words of the song, easier to understand. I
happen to find it exactly the opposite. When you break a word into three parts it makes it harder for
me to understand. But thats the theory. Now when you listen to a Kunqu aria you have to be aware

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of the fact that sometimes one word sounds like three words. To me, it doesnt make it easier to
understand But you can just have to accept this as part of the style of this music. There is another
aspect of the singing. that even in the medial, the vowel part, you don't just sing it straight,
because that's not the style. For example in the aria Black silk gown the third word cha : if you
sing it according to the melody cha .. So you can sing it that way. But it doesn't sound as good
as if I sing it chaaaa I'd bite on the word little bit, I alter the shape of my mouth.
So what is a sounds like aa .. a a in speech it sounds terrible. In singing it's fine. In
Kunqu singing this is called yaozi : biting the word. In other words when you draw out a vowel
you actually alter the sound a little bit. The spoken part(in Kunqu), however, is done in two
linguistic styles. The major characters in the play speaks in an intoned speech style. For example if I
say in ordinary speech:
Hao tianqi ya! What a fine day! But in the (stage) speech they would say: Hao tian qi yeeee
So it's also a kind of singing. Now in some plays there is a comic role, someone who just
makes jokes, livens up the atmosphere a little bit. The comic actor often speaks in vernacular,
that is, the local dialect. There are two (three) local dialects that are frequently used in Kunqu:
the Suzhou dialect, the Yangzhou dialect, (and Beijing dialect). Yangzhou is a city that's is further
north from Nanjing and Suzhou. And in earlier times Yangzhou used to be the Manhattan of China.

II-5 Traditional instruments of Kunqu ensemble: changmian

Now let me say just a few simple words about the instrumental accompaniment in Kunqu. The
major, the most important instrument used in Kunqu is the bamboo flute. The bamboo flute is an
instrument that is about two, and maybe a quarter feet along. it is a complete tube, and it has six
holes. And it has one hole between the embouchure, the blowing hole, and the first finger hole, that
is covered with a membrane. The vibration of this membrane when you play the flute gives the flute
a very crisp, penetrating timbre. This is very different from a Western flute which has a very mellow
sound. Now this slightly sharp, crisp, timbre actually helps support the singing voice. Very often
when you attend a Kunqu performance you won't even hear the flute because the flute is playing in
unison with the singer. Except at the beginning of a phrase or the beginning of a word, where the
flutist will add a little embellishment. That cues the singer into the next word that he is supposed to
sing. So in Kunqu singing you want to know where one word begins, where it ends, and (where) the
next word begins.
You don't slough over the consonants. That is the Kunqu style. Now Kunqu ensemble usually is
composed of what they call eight big pieces. Actually there's more than eight of them. The other
melodic instruments include: the mouth organ you've probably seen these;
it's a bowl with lots of pipes sticking out of it. This instrument also usually plays in unison with the
flute. Then, there are a few plucked instruments. For example, a pipa , which is the lute that's held
up like this. There's also a two stringed fiddle, the erhu which is lower in pitch than the Peking
opera 2 string fiddle. Sometimes there are two of these. In some cases an ensemble will include a
moon guitar which is a round plucked instrument. This is what we call the melodic section. In
Chinese it's called wenchang , or the civil ensemble. It takes, maybe, three to five people for the
melodic part. Then there's a very important percussion part of the ensemble. One very important
instrument is the small gong. You've probably seen large gongs. But in Kunqu very often you use a
small gong. And the small gong usually has a rising tone when you strike it. So it goes something
like, it sounds something like: tei, tei, teiteitei , When you hear this small gong somebody's going
to enter the stage. Now if the person or the character that is walking on stage is a warrior, someone
who's going to fight, you'll find the large gong and the cymbals doing a very exciting percussion
rally. And then, the warrior or the fighter will come on stage. So the percussion part of the
instruments aside from marking the rhythm of the singing, also has this introductory function. It
gives you some idea of what you're going to see. And the percussion section of the ensemble is
called the wuchang , or the martial section, Now today, the producers have expanded

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this small eight piece ensemble to a big orchestra. There are probably thirty to forty pieces of
instruments, including Western instruments like string bass and cello, and so forth and so on. This
means that the orchestra can no longer be accommodated on the side of the stage, where they can
see the action on stage and match their music to it. Now, you have to have a conductor in the pit.
Sometimes it is the flutist who just raises his arm as he starts to play and the other instruments come
in. He sits a little higher so he can see what's going on on the stage. I think this is very unfortunate
because I think the orchestra, or the ensemble, is part of the show. These are some of the stylistic
features of Kunqu. So now you know: there are no repeats in a Kunqu aria. Secondly, one word
sounds like three or four words, There's an alteration in the vowel. You have to pay attention to the
rhythm, or just go with the flow. You don't have to worry about harmony. Although nowadays there
are some harmony. The important thing in Kunqu is the melody. I hope this will help you appreciate
Kunqu a little more.

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