A reasonably robust stylistic distinction divides the main troupes into southern (Shanghai, Jiangsu, Suzhou, Zhejiang), northern, and Hunan styles. This division affects both what and how repertoire is performed. The “southern” troupes largely derive their repertoire from the “chuan” generation whereas northern and Hunan styles each have independent lineages and inheritance.

In ordinary conversation, troupes are not given full names but instead are referred to by a two-character abbreviation consisting of a place designation and “kun” 崑 for kunqu or kunju. Before the Cultural Revolution, perhaps because of the unwelcome elite associations of kunqu, Zhejiang and Jiangsu kunqu troupes were also suju [Appendix J] troupes, while Shanghai kunqu actors were also included in jing ju youth troupes. After the Cultural Revolution, these were reconstituted as kunqu-only troupes and the Jiangsu Company's Suzhou ensemble became an independent company. At present, the distinction between “troupe” (tuan 團) and “company” ( yuan 院) is not institutionally substantial.

Hunan Troupe (Xiangkun 湘崑)

Hunan Kunju Troupe (Hunan sheng kunju tuan 湖南省崑劇團)

The Hunan Troupe was founded in 1960 and became a provincial-level organization in 1964. Situated in the city of Chenzhou 郴州, the troupe is geographically isolated from the genre's core areas and performs in a distinct style, so it has been relatively peripheral to the revival of national interest in kunqu.

Jiangsu Company (Shengkun 省崑)

Jiangsu Kunju Company ( Jiangsu sheng kunju yuan 江蘇省崑劇院)

The success of Fifteen Strings of Cash caused the Suzhou municipal government to form the Jiangsu Suju and Kunju Troupe ( Jiangsu sheng su-kunju tuan 江蘇省蘇崑劇團) in 1956, replacing an existing suju company. In 1960, a troupe of 30 people, including Zhang Jiqing, was split off and moved to the provincial capital of Nanjing while another group continued in Suzhou.1In 1970, during the Cultural Revolution, the troupe briefly became the second provincial jing ju troupe, Second Peking Opera Troupe of Jiangsu Province ( Jiangsu sheng jingju er tuan 江蘇省京劇二團). Regrouping in 1977 after the Cultural Revolution, it acquired its current name (going from “troupe” to “company”) and venue.