The Peony Pavilion
Chuanqi is a form of Chinese opera popular in the Ming dynasty (1368–1644) and early Qing dynasty (1636–1912). It emerged in the mid-Ming dynasty from the older form of "nanxi". As it spread throughout the empire, it absorbed regional music styles and topolects and eventually evolved into different local genres, among them "kunqu". Of the 2000 plus titles recorded in history, over 600 "chuanqi" plays are extant, including "The Peony Pavilion" by Tang Xianzu, "The Palace of Eternal Life" by Hong Sheng, and "The Peach Blossom Fan" by Kong Shangren.