Kunqu Opera: The 600-Year-Old Refined Sound Behind The Peony Pavilion and Chinese Theater's Origins

Kunqu opera emerged in 14th-century Suzhou and gave Chinese theater its melodic bones, its actor-training system, and The Peony Pavilion. Six centuries on, UNESCO calls it a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. Here is why it still matters.