ABSTRACT
In 2001, Kunqu opera was selected as one of the Masterpieces of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. This brought attention to an otherwise neglected genre. Since then, government policies have been implemented and various forms of support have been invested to safeguard Kunqu. These safeguarding initiatives, however, seem to have directed their focus on the nation’s professional opera troupes and far less on the Kunqu’s extensive amateur literati tradition and its current vibrant amateur community. In this chapter, I explore the power-play between top-down and grassroots initiatives, by examining the impact of government strategies and UNESCO intervention on amateur practitioners, and contrasting this with the vital role and functions that the amateurs play in safeguarding Kunqu in the PRC today. This chapter questions the notion of community as defined by UNESCO – its theory and its practice – and explores the relationship between recent safeguarding initiatives and the shifting musical values within Kunqu practices.
