How did the Song dynasty help regional music-drama flourish in China?

During the Song dynasty (960–1279), regional music-drama flourished due to the establishment of professional theatre districts in major cities, such as Hangzhou, which contained numerous playhouses. This environment supported the development of two primary dramatic forms: the northern variety play (zaju) and the southern nanxi.12

Several factors contributed to this growth:

• Professionalization: Playwrights belonging to writing societies (shuhui) composed large numbers of dramas for local troupes. These troupes, often small for economic reasons, toured the countryside when work in cities was scarce, effectively spreading urban performance styles throughout China.13
• Accessibility: Nanxi emerged as a popular form that utilized colloquial language and set flexible verses to popular music, making both poetry and music accessible to ordinary spectators.13
• Diverse Entertainment: The theatre districts featured a wide array of performances, including puppets, mechanical dolls, shadow plays, singing, dancing, and acrobatics, which created a vibrant culture that appealed to the general public.12

These developments established a foundation for the evolution of Chinese opera and regional music-drama traditions that have continued into the 21st century.24