In May 2001, Kun Qu opera was inscribed in the first batch of Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity, and in 2008, it was inscribed in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Kun Qu opera is one of the oldest existing traditional Chinese operas, originating from the Ming Dynasty (14th to 17th century AD). Its singing style is highly artistic and has had a significant influence on all modern Chinese opera forms, such as Sichuan opera and Peking opera. Kun Qu opera performances involve singing, recitation, acting, martial arts and dancing, which are also fundamental content for training Peking opera actors. The vocal style and theatrical structure of Kun Qu opera, including roles like Dan (a female lead), and Sheng (a male lead), have been borrowed by other opera forms. "The Peony Pavilion" and "The Palace of Eternal Life" are classic repertoire pieces of Kun Qu opera that have been preserved. Kun Qu opera are accompanied by percussion instruments like drums and gongs, string instruments like the lute and the pipa, as well as wind instruments such as bamboo flutes and shengs and various other traditional Chinese musical instruments. Kun Qu opera's dance movements are expressiveness, mainly divided into two categories, demonstrating rich.

Translator: SHEN Ruixuan

Reviewer: BAI Jing