Zaju was a form of Chinese opera that provided entertainment through a synthesis of recitations of prose and poetry, dance, singing and mime, with a certain emphasis on comedy. Although it has diverse and earlier roots, having been performed during the earlier Song and Jin dynasties, zaju has particularly been associated with the Yuan dynasty (1271 to 1368), and remains important to the historical study of Chinese theater arts as well as Classical Chinese literature and poetry, its various performance elements drawn from many earlier musical, dance, poetry and theater traditions.
Facts
Place of OriginChina, with earlier roots in the Song and Jin dynasties and its classic form tied to the Yuan dynasty (1271-1368). 1 Notable ExampleThe Injustice to Dou E by the playwright Guan Hanqing, among the most famous zaju plays. 1 Defining TraitA poetic music drama built from four acts, each act centered on a set of songs completing one musical modal progression. 1 FAQs
How much zaju writing survives from the Yuan dynasty and who wrote it?
Around two hundred Yuan zaju scripts survive, by playwrights such as Guan Hanqing and Wang Shifu.
Significant written literature survives from the Yuan period, including around two hundred scripts for zaju performances. The best known playwrights include Guan Hanqing, author of The Injustice to Dou E, Bo Renfu, Ma Zhiyuan and Wang Shifu, who wrote the popular Romance of the Western Chamber. Much of what is known about Yuan era plays and playwrights comes from a book of the time titled Register of Ghosts.
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Source Zaju (Wikipedia)tier 2
Sources
1. Zaju (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia Foundationlead section, first sentence
zaju has particularly been associated with the time of the Yuan dynasty (1271-1368)
Characteristics section, first sentence
The Yuan zaju were poetic music dramas comprising four acts, with the "act" (齣, chu) defined as a set of songs following and completing a certain musical modal progression.
Playwrights section
Guan Hanqing, author of The Injustice to Dou E
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