Hunan Kunqu Opera, also known as Xiangkun, is one of the local operas in Hunan. It is the abbreviation of Hunan Kunqu Opera, which has the same origin as Sukun Opera in the south of my country and Beikun Opera in the north. Xiangkun Opera is popular in Guiyang, Jiahe, Xintian, Ningyuan, Lanshan, Linwu, Yizhang, Chenxian, Yongxing, Changning and other places in southern Hunan of our province. During the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty, Kunqu Opera was introduced to Hunan. After a long period of evolution, it formed a local Kunqu Opera with a mountain atmosphere, which was popular in the southern Hunan area centered on Guiyang. Kunqu Opera has rich and colorful repertoires, gorgeous and elegant words, clear and graceful tunes, delicate and beautiful performances, singing and dancing, outstanding martial arts skills, rich in poetic connotations and painting style. Kunqu Opera entered Hunan and had a profound and direct impact on many local operas. To date, many Kunqu opera repertoires and tunes are still preserved in the local operas such as Xiang Opera, Qi Opera, Baling Opera, Chenhe Opera, Jinghe Opera, Wuling Opera and other local operas in our province. Kunqu Opera has a high reputation in the world of art and was the first to be recognized by UNESCO as a representative work of world-class intangible cultural heritage. Kunqu Opera respects Wei Liangfu as its ancestor. This folk musician, who was active in the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty, absorbed overseas tunes, Yuyao tunes and Jiangnan folk songs, and sorted out and processed the opera singing styles in the Kunshan area, forming a slow and graceful water-grinding tune, called Kunshan tune, also known as Kunqu Opera. The opera that sings Kunqu Opera is called Kun Opera. After the middle of the Qing Dynasty, local operas and Peking Opera emerged, and Kunqu Opera became one of the important singing styles of Peking Opera and many local operas. Contemporary Peking Opera masters such as Mei Lanfang and Cheng Yanqiu all regard singing Kunqu Opera as an important means to improve their artistic level. There are two earliest records of Kunqu performances in Hunan: one is the record of the Hengzhou Prefecture Chronicle published by Qianlong, which states that in the 29th year of Wanli (1540 AD), in the mansion of Prince Guiduan, who was granted the title of vassal of Hengzhou, "the music and singing were as good as those in the capital"; the other is the poem written by Yuan Hongdao, one of the "Three Yuans" in literary history, in the 31st year of Wanli (1542 AD): "The singing rings and dancing skirts are stacked, and the air in Jiuzhi Hall is like clouds". Jiuzhi Hall is the mansion of Long Ying, a native of Wuling, located inside the Great West Gate of Changde today. Long Ying once served as an official in Jiangsu and Zhejiang, and loved Kunqu. He had a singing troupe at home, and he wrote Kunqu and legendary scripts such as "The Story of the Blue Bridge" and "The Story of the Golden Gate". Since then, Kunqu troupes have performed in various parts of Hunan, and some have even performed on the same stage with local operas, or even in a combined troupe. Kunqu operas often performed on the Hunan opera stage include "Drunken Beating the Mountain Gate" and "Chunxiang Disturbs the School". After the founding of New China, the Party and the government attached great importance to the development of Hunan Kunqu art. Under the advocacy of Mei Lanfang, Tian Han and other comrades, Xiangkun was restored and developed, forming an independent and complete local opera genre. In 1956, the government organized old artists to explore the artistic heritage of Xiangkun. In 1957, the Provincial Bureau of Culture held a Xiangjiang Kunqu training class, which cultivated the first batch of Xiangkun artistic talents after the founding of the People's Republic of China. In 1960, the Chenzhou District Xiangkun Opera Troupe was established, which revived a genre on the verge of extinction. Comrade Tian Han praised the achievements of Xiangkun with the sentence "a golden phoenix flew out of the mountain nest". After several evolutions, the troupe was named Hunan Kun Opera Troupe. Since 1960, it has successively organized and performed a number of traditional repertoires such as "The Story of Hairpins and Bracelets", "The Story of White Rabbits", "The Peony Pavilion", "The Story of Killing Dogs", "The Kite Mistake", "The Story of Washing Silk", and "The Story of Jade Hairpin". Among them, "Wu Song Kills His Sister-in-law", "The Story of Thorny Hairpin" and the newly edited story drama "The Legend of Suxianling" won awards in the provincial performance. According to the needs of expressing contemporary life, they created modern dramas such as "On the Tenglong River", "Lotus Pond Song", and "Fenghuo Zhengtu", and made some bold explorations and attempts in the innovation and creation of Hunan Kunqu art. After a high level of training and cultivation, a group of young actors and musicians have thrived in performance practice, and Hunan Kunqu art has successors. Hunan Kunqu actors Zhang Fuguang and Fu Yiping have successively won the Chinese Drama Plum Blossom Award. In 2006, the Hunan Kunqu Opera Troupe was listed as a national intangible cultural heritage protection subject. Lei Ziwen Lei Ziwen (Kunqu) is the third batch of "national intangible cultural heritage project inheritors" in Hunan Province. Lei Ziwen, male, Han nationality, born in July 1943, a member of the Communist Party of China, was admitted to the Kunqu Opera Actor Training Class in Jiahe County, Hunan Province in 1957, and was a Jingxing. In 1960, he was transferred to the Hunan Kunqu Opera Troupe of Chenzhou Special District. He served as the head of the troupe and the secretary of the branch. He has been engaged in the Kunqu Opera for more than 40 years. In 1983, she was named the Outstanding Middle-aged Actor in Chenzhou, and in 1986, she was named the Outstanding Middle-aged Actor in Hunan Province. In 1994, she was appointed as a member of the award committee of the National Kunqu Opera Youth Actor Performance by the organizing committee of the conference... More >>> Fu Yiping Fu Yiping, female, Kunqu Opera Qingyi. Graduated from the Kunqu Opera Department of Hunan Art School in 1980, under the tutelage of Zhou Zhongchun and Fu Xueyi. She is a national first-class actor. Member of the Hunan Dramatists Association. She has won the Outstanding Performance Award at the First China Kunqu Opera Art Festival, the Outstanding Performance Award at the First China Kunqu Opera Youth Actor Exchange Performance, the Best Performance Award at the First Hunan Youth Actor Grand Prix, the Hunan Drama Furong Award from 1995 to 1997, and the Tian Han Performance Award at the Hunan New Drama Performance. In 1995, she participated in the CCTV Spring Festival Opera Gala and was invited to perform in Taiwan and Hong Kong. In April 2000, he won the first China...more>>>Tang XiangyinTang Xiangyin Kunqu OperaTang Xiangyin, the inheritor of the second batch of provincial intangible cultural heritage projects in Hunan Province, was born in Jiahe County, Hunan Province in June 1942. In 1957, he was admitted to the Kunqu Opera Actor Training Class in Jiahe County to learn to perform Xiangkun Opera. He learned the full texts of "Lianhuan Ji", "Bayi Ji", "Yixia Ji", "Ji Qin Sandang", "San Chuang Fu Jing" and other Xiangkun operas from Xiangkun masters Xiao Jiankun, Kuang Shengping and others. In 1960, he was transferred to work in the Xiangkun Opera Troupe of Chenzhou Special District. In 1961, introduced by Mr. Tian Han, former chairman of the China Dramatists Association, he became a disciple of the famous Peking Opera and Kunqu Opera performer and founder of the Hou School, Hou... More>>>Lei ZiwenLei Ziwen (Kunqu Opera) The third batch of "National Intangible Cultural Heritage Project Inheritors" in Hunan ProvinceLei Ziwen, male, Han nationality, born in July 1943, a member of the Communist Party of China, was admitted to the Kunqu Opera Actor Training Class in Jiahe County, Hunan Province in 1957, and was transferred to the Hunan Kunqu Opera Troupe in Chenzhou District in 1960. He served as the head of the troupe and the secretary of the branch. He has been engaged in the Kunqu Opera for more than 40 years. In 1983, he was named an outstanding middle-aged actor in Chenzhou, and in 1986, he was named an outstanding middle-aged actor in Hunan Province. In 1994, he was appointed as a member of the award committee by the organizing committee of the National Kunqu Opera Youth Actors' Performance... More>>>Fu YipingFu Yiping, female, Kunqu Opera Qingyi. Graduated from the Kunqu Opera Department of Hunan Art School in 1980, and was taught by Zhou Zhongchun and Fu Xueyi. She is a national first-class actor. Member of Hunan Dramatists Association. He has won the Outstanding Performance Award of the First China Kunqu Opera Art Festival, the Outstanding Performance Award of the First China Kunqu Opera Young Actor Exchange Performance, the Best Performance Award of the First Hunan Young Actor Grand Prix, the Hunan Drama Furong Award from 1995 to 1997, and the Tian Han Performance Award of Hunan New Drama Festival. In 1995, he participated in the CCTV Spring Festival Opera Gala and was invited to perform in Taiwan and Hong Kong. In April 2000, he won the first China......More>>>Tang XiangyinTang XiangyinKunqu OperaTang Xiangyin, the inheritor of the second batch of provincial intangible cultural heritage projects in Hunan Province, was born in Jiahe County, Hunan Province in June 1942. In 1957, he was admitted to the Kunqu Opera Actor Training Class in Jiahe County to learn to perform Hunan Kunqu Opera. He learned the full texts of "Lianhuan Ji", "Bayi Ji", "Yixia Ji", "Ji Qin Sandang", "San Chuang Fu Jing" and other Hunan Kunqu Operas from famous Hunan Kunqu masters Xiao Jiankun, Kuang Shengping and others. In 1960, he was transferred to the Hunan Kunqu Opera Troupe of Chenzhou Special District. In 1961, introduced by Mr. Tian Han, former chairman of the China Dramatists Association, he became a disciple of the famous Peking Opera and Kunqu Opera performing artist and founder of the Hou School, Hou... More>>>Lei Ziwen (Kunqu Opera) The third batch of "National Intangible Cultural Heritage Project Inheritors" in Hunan Province Lei Ziwen, male, Han nationality, born in July 1943, a member of the Communist Party of China, was admitted to the Kunqu Opera Actor Training Class in Jiahe County, Hunan Province in 1957, and was transferred to the Hunan Kunqu Opera Troupe in Chenzhou District in 1960. He served as the head of the troupe and the secretary of the branch. He has been engaged in the Kunqu Opera for more than 40 years. In 1983, he was named an outstanding middle-aged actor in Chenzhou, in 1986, he was named an outstanding middle-aged actor in Hunan Province, and in 1994, he was appointed as a member of the award committee by the organizing committee of the National Kunqu Opera Youth Actors' Performance... More>>>Fu YipingFu Yiping, female, Kunqu Opera Qingyi. Graduated from the Kunqu Opera Department of Hunan Art School in 1980, and was taught by Zhou Zhongchun and Fu Xueyi. She is a national first-class actor. Member of Hunan Dramatists Association. He has won the Outstanding Performance Award of the First China Kunqu Opera Art Festival, the Outstanding Performance Award of the First China Kunqu Opera Young Actor Exchange Performance, the Best Performance Award of the First Hunan Young Actor Grand Prix, the Hunan Drama Furong Award from 1995 to 1997, and the Tian Han Performance Award of Hunan New Drama Festival. In 1995, he participated in the CCTV Spring Festival Opera Gala and was invited to perform in Taiwan and Hong Kong. In April 2000, he won the first China......More>>>Tang XiangyinTang XiangyinKunqu OperaTang Xiangyin, the inheritor of the second batch of provincial intangible cultural heritage projects in Hunan Province, was born in Jiahe County, Hunan Province in June 1942. In 1957, he was admitted to the Kunqu Opera Actor Training Class in Jiahe County to learn to perform Hunan Kunqu Opera. He learned the full texts of "Lianhuan Ji", "Bayi Ji", "Yixia Ji", "Ji Qin Sandang", "San Chuang Fu Jing" and other Hunan Kunqu Operas from famous Hunan Kunqu masters Xiao Jiankun, Kuang Shengping and others. In 1960, he was transferred to the Hunan Kunqu Opera Troupe of Chenzhou Special District. In 1961, introduced by Mr. Tian Han, former chairman of the China Dramatists Association, she became a disciple of the famous Peking Opera and Kunqu Opera performing artist and founder of the Hou School, Mr. Hou...more>>>Fu Yiping, female, Kunqu Opera Qingyi. Graduated from the Kunqu Opera Department of Hunan Art School in 1980, under the tutelage of Zhou Zhongchun and Fu Xueyi. She is a national first-class actor. Member of the Hunan Dramatists Association. She has won the Outstanding Performance Award at the First China Kunqu Opera Art Festival, the Outstanding Performance Award at the First China Kunqu Opera Young Actors Exchange Performance, the Best Performance Award at the First Hunan Young Actors Grand Prix, the Hunan Drama Furong Award from 1995 to 1997, the Hunan New Drama Performance Tian Han Performance Award, participated in the CCTV Spring Festival Opera Gala in 1995, and was invited to perform in Taiwan and Hong Kong. In April 2000, she won the first China...more>>>Tang XiangyinTang XiangyinKunqu OperaTang Xiangyin, the inheritor of the second batch of provincial intangible cultural heritage projects in Hunan Province, was born in Jiahe County, Hunan Province in June 1942. In 1957, he was admitted to the Kunqu Opera Actor Training Class in Jiahe County to learn to perform Hunan Kunqu Opera. He learned the full texts of "Lianhuan Ji", "Bayi Ji", "Yixia Ji", and other Hunan Kunqu operas such as "Ji Qin Sandang" and "San Chuang Fu Jing" from famous Hunan Kunqu masters Xiao Jiankun and Kuang Shengping. In 1960, he was transferred to the Hunan Kunqu Opera Troupe of Chenzhou Special District. In 1961, he was introduced by Mr. Tian Han, the former chairman of the China Dramatists Association, to worship the famous Peking Opera and Kunqu performing artist Hou Pai founder Hou... More>>>Tang Xiangyin Kunqu Opera Tang Xiangyin, the inheritor of the second batch of provincial intangible cultural heritage projects in Hunan Province, was born in Jiahe County, Hunan Province in June 1942. In 1957, he was admitted to the Kunqu Opera Actor Training Class in Jiahe County to learn to perform Hunan Kunqu Opera. He learned the full texts of "Lianhuan Ji", "Bayi Ji", "Yixia Ji", and other Hunan Kunqu operas such as "Ji Qin Sandang" and "San Chuang Fu Jing" from famous Hunan Kunqu masters Xiao Jiankun and Kuang Shengping. In 1960, he was transferred to work in the Xiangkun Opera Troupe of Chenzhou Special District. In 1961, he was introduced by Mr. Tian Han, former chairman of the China Dramatists Association, to become a disciple of the famous Peking Opera and Kunqu Opera performing artist and founder of the Hou School, Hou...more>>>