This term refers to the Southern Opera. The latter is a type of local opera which had developed from traditional folk songs and dances and was popular in China’s southeastern coastal areas from the late Northern Song Dynasty to the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. It ran parallel to zaju that was popular in the north at the same historical period. It later developed into the legendary drama in the Ming and Qing dynasties. As the earliest, mature operatic form, it best represents traditional Chinese opera. Hence Xiwen (戏文) is widely used to refer to script of traditional Chinese operas.

In the Southern Song Dynasty, a monk named Zujie in Yueqing County of Wenzhou rode roughshod over the locals. People resented what he did, so they compiled his evil deeds into opera scripts to make more people know about the ruffian and hoped that this would help bring him to justice. (Zhou Mi: A Collection of My Rambling Notes from Hangzhou)

Only by the Song Dynasty did the Southern Opera consist of songs, recitation, and comic gestures and dialogues. (Xia Tingzhi: Preface to Biographies of Courtesans)