Kun-qu (English spelling)

Japanese: 崑曲 - こんきょく（英語表記）Kun-qu

A school of classical Chinese drama. Also called "Kunqu" or "Kunshanqu." In ancient times, Chinese drama was divided into two schools, "Northern Qu" and "Northern Qu." During the Jiajing period (1522-67), Northern Qu declined and Southern Qu flourished. Kunqu originated from Southern Qu, and was perfected in the early Jiajing period by Wei Liangfu (before 1522-around 1572) in the Kunshan region (Jiangsu Province) by incorporating the merits of other Southern Qu and Northern Qu, such as Haiyan Qu and Yiyang Qu. It came to be performed not only in the south but also in the capital, Beijing, and became a much more developed form of drama than Yuan Qu, with elegant accompaniment mainly using flutes, complex melodies, and vocal techniques. It was at its height in the 17th and 18th centuries, when the Kunqu school almost monopolized the stages across China, and masterpieces from the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, such as "Return of the Dead," "The Palace of Eternal Life," and "Peach Blossom Fan," were all plays sung to the tune of Kunqu. It was not until the end of the 18th century, when a singing style called "Pi Huang Qian" emerged, that it finally began to decline. In the 20th century it fell into complete disuse, with only vestiges of it being seen in "Ping Opera." There have been several revival movements in modern times, and after liberation, the "Kunqu Opera House" in the north and the "Kunsu Opera Troupe" in Zhejiang were established, and attempts were made to stage it.

Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica Concise Encyclopedia About Encyclopaedia Britannica Concise Encyclopedia Information

Japanese:

中国の古典戯曲の一派。「崑腔」「崑山腔」ともいう。中国の戯曲は古くは「北曲」と「南曲」の2系統があり，嘉靖 (1522～67) の頃に北曲は衰微し，南曲が盛んであった。崑曲は南曲から出たもので，嘉靖の初め頃，崑山地方 (江蘇省) で，魏良輔 (1522以前～72頃) が海塩腔，弋陽腔 (よくようこう) など他の南曲や北曲の長所を取入れて大成した。南方はもとより都の北京でも行われるようになり，笛を主とする優美な伴奏と，複雑な旋律，声楽の技巧によって，元曲よりはるかに発達した戯曲となった。特に 17～18世紀は全盛で，中国全国の舞台はほとんど崑曲派の独占するところとなり，『還魂記』『長生殿』『桃花扇』など明末清初の名作はすべて崑曲の音律で歌われる戯曲である。 18世紀末にいたり，「皮黄腔」という唱腔が興るに及んで，ようやく衰退に向った。 20世紀に入るとまったくふるわなくなり，「京劇」のなかにその名残りがみられるにすぎなくなった。現代になって幾度か復興運動があったが，解放後，北方の「崑曲劇院」，浙江の「崑蘇劇団」などができて，その上演が試みられた。

出典　ブリタニカ国際大百科事典小項目事典ブリタニカ国際大百科事典小項目事典について　情報

<<: Base - Konkyochi

>>: Conquistador