Declarer£ºChinese Academy of Arts, Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Hunan provinces; Shanghai, Beijing
¢ñ. Description
Kunqu Opera is one of the oldest forms of opera still existing
in China, with its origins dating back to the end of the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368). It has distinguished itself by the
virtuosity of its rhythmic patterns and has exerted a dominant influence on all
the more recent forms of opera in China, including the Sichuan and Beijing
operas.
In 2001, UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Cultural and Scientific
Organization) proclaimed Kunqu Opera as a masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible
Heritage of Humanity (a UNESCO program that ensures the best of every country's
traditions is preserved and developed as well as made known to the outside
world).