Characteristics of Yuan opera:
1. There are different lyrics and music in different periods, with more political, cultural and artistic colors. In certain periods, the political color is particularly prominent; The lyrics and music are not limited to form, and there are no strict metrical requirements for the basic points.
2. Yuan Opera comes from the tunes of the northern grassland people, so Yuan Opera is also called Northern Opera.
3. Yuan Opera is a literary and artistic form popular in the Yuan Dynasty, including Zaju and Sanqu, and sometimes refers specifically to Zaju.
Yuan opera is a brilliant flower in the splendid cultural treasure house of the Han nation. It embodies unique characteristics in terms of ideological content and artistic achievements. Together with Tang poetry, Song lyrics, Ming and Qing novels, it has become a national An important milestone in literary history.
Extended information
The development of Yuan opera can be divided into three periods.
1. Early period: from the founding of the Yuan Dynasty to the destruction of the Southern Song Dynasty. During this period, Yuan opera had just entered the poetry world from popular slang among the people. It had distinct characteristics of popular colloquialism and a bold, hearty, simple and natural sentiment.
Most of the authors are from the north, among whom Guan Hanqing, Ma Zhiyuan, Wang Shifu, Bai Pu, Zhang Yanghao and others have achieved the highest achievements. For example, Guan Hanqing's Zaju plays are written in a style that imitates the times, with wonderful songs and varied styles. Lively and deep, crystal clear and graceful, the set is spicy and full of joy.
Ma Zhiyuan’s creations have broad themes, lofty artistic conceptions, vivid images, beautiful language, and harmonious phonology. He is known as the first master of Yuan Sanqu, "the number one composer" and "the ancestor of Qiu Si".
2. Middle period: from the reign of Emperor Shizu of the Yuan Dynasty to the first year of the Yuan Dynasty to the period of Emperor Shun of the Yuan Dynasty to the first year of the Yuan Dynasty. During this period, the creation of Yuan opera began to make a comprehensive transition to the culture and professional level, and Sanqu became the main genre in the poetry world. Important writers include Zheng Guangzu, Sui Jingchen, Qiao Ji, Zhang Kejiu, etc.
3. The last period: from the Zhizheng period of Yuan Chengzong to the end of Yuan Dynasty. At this time, Sanqu writers specialized in playing music. They paid attention to rhythm and rhetoric, were meticulous in their art, and advocated elegance, delicacy, elegance and beauty. Representative writers include Zhang Yanghao, Xu Zaisi, etc.
Baidu Encyclopedia-Yuan Opera