In the early years of Wanli in the Ming Dynasty (1573), Kunqu Opera troupes entered Hunan from Anhui and Jiangxi Province, with the main bases in Changsha and Wuling area (now Changde City), and then developed from Hengyang to Chenzhou area along the Xiangjiang River.

In the early Qing Dynasty, Kunqu Opera prevailed in Chenzhou area. From Xianfeng years to Tongzhi years, Kunqu Opera performance art in Chenzhou area became increasingly mature, and the body expression, speaking and singing, clothing props and so on were quite exquisite, gradually into a system. From the late 18th century, the disputes between Beijing Opera, Qin Opera, Yiyang Opera, Bangzi Opera, Luoluo Opera, Erhuang Opera and Kunshan Opera resulted in the decline of Kunqu Opera in China. During the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty, with the rise of the civil class, the scholar-bureaucrats began to be pragmatic, and Kunqu Opera was not favored by the public and lost the position of the scholar-bureaucrat class.Kunqu Opera Art declined and gradually disappeared in China in the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China. However, a miracle occurred in Chenzhou, Hunan Province that Kunqu Opera activities became more and more active and Kunqu troupes were numerous, emerging new talents. Hunan Kunqu Opera camp moved from south to Chenzhou area, and Chenzhou area became the base of Kunqu Opera in Hunan Province. In 1927, all Kunqu troupes in Chenzhou were forced to disband, but Kunqu opera artists changed to organize the Qi Opera and Hunan Opera troupes and then performed Kunqu Opera.

After entering Hunan Province, Kunqu Opera has been influenced by local language, folk music and other operas (mainly Hunan Opera, Qi Opera) and folk customs for a long time. In order to meet the needs of the audience, the Kunqu Opera in Hunan has been gradually improved into a unique, complete and standardized Kunqu Opera faction, which not only maintained the essence of traditional Kunqu Opera art, but also had the local flavor of Hunan culture and was rich in Hunan local characteristics through long-term practice by artists. Hunan Kunqu Opera's music and performing arts innovated on the basis of inheriting the artistic achievements of the previous Kunqu Opera.

After the decline of Kunqu Opera, in the decades before the founding of New China, there was no professional Kunqu Opera troupe in the whole country. In 1955, Zhejiang Kunqu Opera Troupe, the only professional Kunqu Opera Troupe in China, was established. In 1956, the troupe organized and performed the traditional Kunqu Opera "Fifteen Strings of Cash", which made a great sensation to the whole country with its high ideological, popular and artistic quality. Zhou Enlai praised Kunqu Opera as the "Orchid in the art garden" and Kunqu Opera was highly valued by the Party and the government. Kunqu Opera troupes were set up all over the country. Since then Kunqu art has entered a new historical period of development and the ancient Kunqu opera has re-radiated its own youth and vitality.

In August 1957, Kuang Shengping and Liu Guoqing, the famous artists of Kunqu Opera in Chenzhou, successfully performed the "Wusong Killing Sister-in-law" in Changsha City. In the same year, the Hunan Provincial Bureau of Culture commissioned the Kunqu performers in Jiahe County to set up a training course for Kunqu opera trainees to train a number of influential new Kunqu opera successors both inside and outside the province.

In March 16, 1966, Hunan Kunqu Opera Troupe was established, which was the only Kunqu Opera Troupe in central and southern China. The Kunqu Opera in Hunan Province has entered a new period of development.

During the cultural revolution, the Hunan Kunqu Opera Troupe was once disbanded. After ten years of chaos, Hunan Kunqu Opera took the lead to recover in the whole country. The Hunan Kunqu Opera Troupe changed its old appearance, traveled all over the county, and participated in many major performances in Beijing, Hong Kong and Taiwan. The repertoires accurately interpreted the connotation of Kun Opera works of different periods and schools, and highlighted the unique artistic style of simplicity, elegance, boldness and delicacy. After several struggles, the Hunan Kunqu Opera Troupe had a good reputation in saving the heritage and inheriting the cause of Kunqu Opera, known as one of the most famous performing groups in China.