variety show; Yuan drama
Meanings
3 senses · 7 examplesnoun
comic variety show featuring humor and jesting (in the Song Dynasty)
Refers to the precursor form that emerged during the Song Dynasty, often involving skits, music, and comedy.
Zaju of the Song Dynasty was characterized mainly by humor and jesting.
Zaju was popular both in the imperial court and among common people during the Song Dynasty.
noun
poetic drama form of the Yuan Dynasty, typically in four acts with optional prologues, using northern tunes and spoken dialogue
The mature form of Chinese classical drama that flourished in the Yuan Dynasty, combining music, poetry, and dialogue. Famous works include Guan Hanqing's 'The Injustice to Dou E'.
Guan Hanqing's 'The Injustice to Dou E' is a masterpiece of Yuan zaju.
Yuan zaju was typically divided into four acts, with each act using different northern musical suites.
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Zaju was very popular in the Dadu (modern Beijing) area during the Yuan Dynasty.
noun
later forms of zaju in the Ming and Qing dynasties, with relaxed structural rules (not limited to four acts or northern tunes)
Refers to the later evolution of the form during the Ming and Qing periods, which broke away from the strict four-act structure and northern musical constraints of the Yuan dynasty.
Ming and Qing zaju was more flexible in structure compared to Yuan zaju.
Xu Wei's 'Four Cries of the Gibbon' is a representative work of Ming Dynasty zaju.