Quyi
/tɕʰy˨˩˦ i˥˩/noun
A broad Chinese category of traditional oral and musical performance that includes storytelling, singing, comic dialogue, and related arts.
Did you know?Quyi performers traditionally preserved history, legends, social criticism, and moral teachings through highly stylized spoken and sung performance rather than written texts alone.
Etymological Timeline
Old Chinese
Old Chinese
曲
“A bend, a melody, or a musical piece; the first character later became associated with song and performance.”
Old Chinese
Old Chinese
藝
“Skill, craft, or accomplished artistic practice.”
Middle Chinese
Middle Chinese
曲藝
“Musical or artistic skill; the term’s components carried the sense of melody and cultivated art.”
20th Century
Mandarin
曲艺 / qǔyì
“A recognized umbrella category for Chinese folk oral-performance traditions, including narrative singing and comic dialogue.”
Modern English
English
quyi
“An English scholarly loanword for the traditional Chinese performing-arts genre.”
Explore more surprising origins