Zhang Jun

Biography

Zhang Jun is a Chinese Kunqu opera performer specializing in the xiaosheng (young male) role, known as the "Prince of Kunqu." He was born in October 1974 and grew up in the rural Qingpu district of Shanghai. At the age of 12, he was admitted to the Shanghai Opera School to study Kunqu, graduating in 1994. He then joined the Shanghai Kunqu Troupe as a xiaosheng actor and later served as the troupe's deputy director before leaving. In September 2009, the Zhang Jun Kunqu Art Center and a dedicated fund under the Shanghai Cultural Development Foundation were established, with Zhang Jun serving as the center's artistic director. In May 2011, he was named a UNESCO Artist for Peace in recognition of his long-standing efforts to promote Kunqu opera as intangible cultural heritage. In March 2021, he was appointed principal of the Opera School affiliated with the Shanghai Theatre Academy. He is regarded as one of the leading figures of contemporary Kunqu opera in China.