User:Mistikaa/Cross-dressing

Cross-dressing in 13th century Chinese dynasty
While we might think that cross-dressing is a "modern" concept, there are many cases dating back to the Yuan dynasty, mainly practiced for entertainment purposes. During the Yuan dynasty, women were included and accepted in male-written theatrical plays. Chinese women would often portrait lead-male roles and soon they were known as kunsheng, which translates to "female male." The Yuan dynasty opened the doors to many Chinese women compared to previous dynasties and the ones after.

The Green Bower Collection by Xia Tingzhi depicts the biographies of over 100 Chinese female actresses in the Yan dynasty and 30 Chinese men actors co-existing in the same stage. However, the Green Bower Collection really focuses on documenting the dominacce of Chinese women in theatherical plays during that time. These plays were influenced by early-century historical events, poems, and mythology (need to find source) by using a combination of various art forms such as music, dancing, singing and even martial arts. That is why, in many cases, a person's gender did not influence roles.

During the Yuan era, the lead-role was the only person that had singing parts, while the supporting roles only talked. It is said that many of these roles were giving to Chinese women, for their singing abilities. Regardless if it was a male-role, women would be given the part and disguised themselves through clothing, physical movements, gestures, and skills. Chinese women would even play female-roles at the same time, in the same play. That is not to say men did not play male-roles, but skills and talent dictated who was chosen for the main roles.

* note to self: find a way to add some sort of time? according to the book of cross-dressing in chinese opera by siu leung li, the first chinese theatre zaju apperance happened when there was a male dominace in politics. it is interesting that during this time, the yuan dynasty allowed women to participate in theatre. especially preferring chinese women over chinese men to play leading-roles. which completly contrasts other cultures around the world who also had male figures dominate political views for their country. (page 44)