http://www.kunqusociety.org/kunqu/history/
Kunqu, also known as Kunju, K'un-ch'ü, Kun opera or Kunqu Opera, is one of the oldest extant forms of Chinese opera. It evolved from the local melody of Kunshan, and subsequently came to dominate Chinese theater from the 16th to the 18th centuries. The style originated in the Wu cultural area.