近年來，南戲研究在戲曲領域中廣為學界重視，但對於其名稱、淵源、形成和流播此一基本而重要的問題，學者爭議尚多，猶未能充分釐清。本文擬就此加以論述，全文分為四部分︰一、南戲的名稱，二、南戲的淵源︰從鶻伶聲嗽到永嘉雜劇，三、南戲的形成︰ 戲文、戲曲與永嘉戲曲，四、南戲的流播分派︰從福建古劇到南戲諸腔劇種。「南戲」在歷來文獻上有許多異名，而其中實已提示南戲淵源、形成與流播之線索。如「鶻伶聲嗽」 也談「南戲」的名稱、淵源、形成和流播是在永嘉初起時，以鄉土歌舞為基礎所形成的「小戲」，時間約在北宋徽宗宣和間（1119-1125）。「永嘉雜劇」或「溫州雜劇」是「鶻伶聲嗽」吸收流入民間的「官本雜劇」所形成，樂曲是里巷歌謠和詞調，時間約在南渡（1127）之際。「戲文」或「戲曲」是「永嘉雜劇」又吸收說唱文學以豐富其故事情節和音樂曲調乃至曲調的聯綴方法，從而壯大為「大戲」，時間約為宋光宗紹熙間（1190-1194）。「永嘉戲曲」表示其向外流播，宋度宗咸淳間（1265-1274）已流傳至杭州和江西南豐，江蘇吳中也約在其時，福建閩南地區的莆田、泉州和漳州也應當在光宗朝就已流入戲文；而廣東潮州由後來的戲文傳本觀察，也應當是戲文流播的地方，只是時間未必在南宋。「南曲戲文」、「南戲文」、「南戲」，是元、明兩代用以和「北曲雜劇」、「北雜劇」、「北劇」相對待的稱呼，皆指體製劇種，而當其流播各地，則受當地方言腔調及民歌等的影響，形成諸腔劇種。由此，南戲由鄉土歌舞小戲而受宋官本雜劇影響、進一步汲取說唱文學之滋養發展為大戲、以至流播各地形成各種腔調劇種的歷史脈絡也就清晰可尋了。

In recent years, there has been a good deal of emphasis placed on research into nanxi (southern drama) in drama studies. However, there is considerable controversy about important questions concerning the name, origin, formation and propagation of nanxi and no satisfactory conclusions have been reached. This article aims to discuss these points, and is divided into four parts. First, the name nanxi. Second, the origin of nanxi; from huling shengsou to the Yongjia zaju. Third, the formation of nanxi: xiwen (“southern dramatic scripts”), xiqu (“musical drama”) and Yongjia zaju. Fourth, the propagation of nanxi and its internal differentiation: from Fujian ancient theater to the varieties of drama associated with different nanxi sub-dramatic and singing styles. In literature related to the origin of nanxi, it has many alternate names; scattered among this literature is enough evidence to show its origin, formation and propagation. For example,“huling shengsou”is a kind of xiaoxi (“skit”) formed in the early years of Yongjia, based on rural songs and dances of the locality; this was at about the time of the Xuanhe period of Emperor Huizong of the Northern Song (1119`1125).“Yongjia zaju”or“Wenzhou zaju”is“huling shengsou” which absorbed“guanben zaju”(“court drama”). The latter entered into popular culture, taking for its music local folk songs and ditties at about the time of the court's transition to the south (1127). Xiwen or xiqu are ways of elaborating the plots and musical numbers from the abundant material of the shuochang (“story-telling”or chant-fable) tradition, thus making it into a daxi (“full-scale drama”) as a part of“Yongjia zaju.”This was at about the time of the Shaoxi period of the Emperor Guangzong of the Song (1190-1194). The name“Yongjia zaju”implies that it had already been propagated elsewhere; by the Xianchun period of the Sung Emperor Duzong (1265-1274), it had already spread to Hangzhou and to Nanfeng in Jiangxi. At about the same time, it was in Wuzhong (present-day Suzhou), Jiangsu; in the Minnan region of Fujian, its scripts should have already reached places such as Putian, Quanzhou and Zhangzhou by the reign of Guangzong. According to later play redaction investigations, Chaozhou in Guangdong should have been exposed to the influence of xiwen; however, this did not necessarily occur during the Southern Song. Terms such as“nanqu xiwen,”“nan xiwen,”and“nan xi,”calling these forms “southern,”were used in the Yuan and Ming as contrast with corresponding“northern”forms, such as“beiqu zaju,”“bei zaju,”and“beiju.”They refer to types of drama which, as they spread to various localities, picked up the influence of the local dialects, folk songs, and so forth. In this way they formed regional subdrama styles. Thus we know that nanxi was a local xiaoxi form with rustic songs and dances, which then was influenced by the guanben zaju of the Song. Next it was stimulated by what it took from shuochang and developed into daxi, and then spread into a variety of areas, taking on a variety of dialects and musical forms, to become a tradition of dramatic stylistics with a long historical heritage.