| The categorization of characters (lines of business) (腳色) in Chinese Kunqu Opera (崑劇) helps the audience to differentiate characters. In each line of business, characters are further differentiated by attributes such as personality, social status, and their function in the script. In some instances, character lines expand, while in others, characters of less significance gradually merge into another line of business.Doe Li (李斗) , a writer in the Qing Dynasty, documented Kunqu lines of business in ”Profile of Yang-Zhou Life” (Yang-Zhou-Hua-Fang- Lu,1795) (揚州畫舫錄). His categorization has been commonly viewed as the authoritative listing of Kunqu characters; however, it appears that the integration and division of lines of business corresponds with the history of Kunqu Opera and continues to change today.This article focuses on the evolution of two character categories, Mo (末行) and Xiao Sheng (小生行), from the publication of Profile of Yang-Zhou Life to the present day. Mo initially included three types of roles: mature males with dark beards (老生) , seniors with white beards (外), and male extras or ensemble (末). The more significant roles in the Mo category have been merged into the Lau Sheng (老生) category (elderly, bearded males), while the less significant ones have become roles that facilitate scene changes or transitions. In contrast, the Xiao Sheng category (young, beardless males) has expanded significantly into five sub-categories, each with a distinct performing style. This article traces the integration and division of these two lines of business and discusses the causes behind their evolution. |