Kunqu actor/singers are classified into role-types, or <i>hangdang</i>,
based on a combination of vocal pitch range,
timbre, speech style, costume, headdress, and choreographic movement.
The four major role-types or <i>hangdang</i> are:
<i>sheng</i> (male),
<i>dan</i> (female),
<i>jing</i> (painted face, usually only male),
<i>chou</i> (comic, male and female).
Each role-type is further divided into subtypes according to characters in a play.
Before the mid 20th century
virtually all professional actors were male,
and female role-types were acted by men.
They were called <i>qian dan</i>, nowadays more often <i>nan dan</i>, or male <i>dan</i>.
The most famous <i>qian dan</i> of the last century
was the Beijing opera actor Mei Lanfang
who toured Japan, Europe, and America to great acclaim in the 1930s.
Actors and actresses are rigorously trained beginning from a young age
to sing, act, walk, and dance,
in the appropriate gender characteristics of historic Ming to Qing dynasties,
plus gymnastics and weapons play.
Today they train like Olympic athletes, beginning from the age of 8-12,
in addition to regular academics.
Today female role-types are generally undertaken by women,
but there are a few actresses who cross gender lines
to specialize in male role-types,
for example Madame Pei Yanling
who is famous for her portrayal of the warrior hero Lin Chong
and our lecturer-demonstrator here Madame Yue Meiti
who specializes in young male role-types.
I specialize in young male roles.
The <i>young male</i> role-type typically portrays a young scholar.
I am a Kunqu actress who plays the role of a <i>young male</i>.
Very few Kunqu actresses perform <i>young male</i> role-types.
Besides myself there is Madame Shi Xiaomei. (Jiangsu Province Kunju Troupe)
Kunqu has a broad range of <i>young male</i> role-types;
For example: <i>great official</i>, (mature) <i>official</i>, <i>young official</i> (i.e. newly appointed),
<i>young scholar</i>, <i>poor scholar</i>, <i>young warrior</i> (with pheasant tail headdress).
Why does the <i>young scholar</i> role-type has so many sub-types?
What does this mean?
It means this role-type includes a wide variety of personalities.
First I want to talk about role-types (in general).
Role-type is very important for actors.
When we (they) first enter the school,
like those young students I see now…
When they first enter our drama school,
they are not assigned role-types in the first year.
They all sing in the same big class,
learn basic movements such as “mountain arm”, cloud hands, high kicks, back bends, and so forth.
Within the first year, teachers observe.
This youngster is just like a girl.
She is like a <i>young noble lady</i>; this youngster is a <i>vivacious girl</i> type.
A <i>young scholar</i> must be good looking, of course.
He must appear well mannered.
This youngster, even though he is small he is just like a <i>young scholar</i>.
Under the teachers’ observation,
they are assigned to different role-types after the first year.
You belong this role-type, or that role-type.
The <i>young scholar</i>’s bearing is different from the <i>official</i> role-type…
Not entirely different.
Their shared characteristic is <i>scholarliness</i>.
The <i>young scholar</i> is sensitive and romantic.
The <i>young scholar</i>’s demeanor
and expression, are romantic and tender.
His deportment is casual and elegant.
Generally speaking, the <i>scholar official</i> is quite different (from the <i>young scholar</i> role-type).
What about the <i>official</i>?
Compared to the <i>young scholar</i> they are worldly.
Because they are past the <i>young scholars</i> stage…
Passed through the age of 17 or 18.
(They) might be married, have a career, achieved academic status.
(But) suddenly something happened to the family.
For example, Wang Shipeng in the play <i>The Thorn Hairpin</i>....
He was appointed to office, but then denounced and demoted.
His wife died, drowned herself.
The <i>official</i> faces challenge and conflict.
Therefore plays about <i>officials</i> tend to be more dramatic.
Plays about <i>young scholars</i> are primarily romantic.
Plays about <i>officials</i> are action centered.
And the events often involve conflict…
More often tragic events.
