Jing–Kun and the Hundred Operas: Revisiting the Categorisation of Chinese Theatre

Abstract

This paper presents a critical examination of the classification and institu- tionalisation of xiqu 戲曲, or Chinese song-drama, throughout the twentieth century, with a particular focus on the substantial increase in officially recognised genres, now numbering 348. It delves into the numerological episte- mologies that have historically informed genre definitions, tracing a trajectory from the four elemental categories of vocal music emphasised in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries to the dichotomous model of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, which distinguished ‘elegant’ performances from other forms. Notably, the twentieth century saw the emergence of a wide array of state- funded genres, often linked to specific geographical areas. The study reveals that each historical period’s heuristic approach is not entirely discarded by the subsequent ones. Instead, practitioners and cultural entrepreneurs continue to draw upon earlier epistemologies in various contexts. These processes of ratio- nalisation and negotiation, shaped by sociopolitical and economic forces, have not only moulded China’s theatrical traditions but also the critical discourse surrounding them. The paper emphasises the dynamic interplay between genre categorisation and cultural heritage in xiqu, advocating for a more integrated understanding of Chinese performance that extends beyond the limits of ever- expanding genre classifications.