Di Opera(地戏dìxì),which is popularized in the Guizhou towns of Anshun,Huishui,Pingba and Zhenning,is a traditiona Chinese opera.The opera,originally without a name, became known as Di because the audience watched on slopes rising in all directions from the stage. 

 

The Oriental Piano-Chinese Guzheng

For a long time, Guzheng(古筝gǔzhēng),which also calling Qinzheng(秦筝qín zhēng), is considered as an ancient ethnic musical instrument in our splendid culture.It is as early as the 5th century BC to the 3rd century BC that Guzheng started to become popular.That is why it is so-called Qinzheng.

Yu Opera (Henan Bangzi)

Yu Opera(豫剧Yùjù ), also named “Henan Bangzi（河南梆子Hé’nán Bāngzi）” or “Henan High Tune (河南高腔Hé’nán gāoqiāng)”, emerged during the late Ming Dynasty (明朝míng cháo)and the early Qing Dynasty（清朝qīng cháo）. 

Er’renzhuan

Er’renzhuan(二人转er’rénzhuàn) (Song and Dance Duet), was also known as “bengbeng”. Speaking and singing alternately is the main performing form of this kind of drama. 

Kun Opera

Kun Opera(昆曲kūnqǔ), also called “Kunshanqiang“(昆山腔kūnshānqiāng) or “Kunqu“(昆曲kūnqǔ), originated in the Kunshan region of Jiangsu. It is one of China’s classical operas, with a history of more than 500 years.

Facial Makeups in Operas

A plastic art peculiar to the Chinese stage, the facial makeups(脸谱liǎnpǔ) are various designs of lines and coloured patches painted on the faces of certain operatic characters. 

Beijing Opera

Beijing Opera(京剧jīngjù), also written as Peking opera, is a purely Chinese opera form which dates back to the year 1790. 

Yangge and Waist Drum Dance

During the season in winter, young people in villages in northern Shanxi begin doing the yangge dance(秧歌yāng’gē) and waist drum dancing (腰鼓舞yāogǔwǔ) in order to greet Spring Festival (first day of the first lunar month) and Lantern Festival (15th of the first lunar month.

Northeast China’s Yangko Dance

The Yangko dance (扭秧歌niǔyāng’gē)is a traditional folk dance of the Han Chinese commonly performed in the northern provinces. Yangko dancers usually wear bright and colourful costumes, and their movements are vigorous and quick. During holidays such as lunar New Year and the Lantern Festival, as soon as people hear the sound of drums and gongs they swarm into the streets to watch Yangko dance peformances, no matter how cold it is outside. 

Tibetan Dances(藏族舞zàngzúwǔ)

Nearly every Tibetan can sing and dance. They sing anytime for any event and dance at festivals, weddings, gatherings and during their spare time. The Tibetan nationality, or Bo as it calls itself, has a population of about 3.87 million, scattered in Tibet, Gansu, Sichuan and Yunnan, which are known for their highlands, grasslands, thick forests and abundant natural resources. The areas inhabited by Tibetans boats a great diversity of folk songs and dances. 

Huangmei Opera

Huangmei Opera(黄梅戏huángméixì) was formed in the 18th century, when Chinese local operas were flourishing. Originally it was a combination of local folk songs, dances and some widely spread ancient operas. Bordering on Anhui Province, Huangmei in Hubei is a count famous for its tea and tea-picking songs(采茶歌,cǎichágē), from which Huangmei Opera got its original name, “tea-picking tunes”(采茶舞cǎicháwǔ) or “tea-picking opera”(采茶戏cǎicháxì). 

Exorcising Ghosts Opera

It had heard a long time ago that Guizhou was the only place where an ancient opera of primitive culture, the exorcising ghosts opera (nuoxi)(傩戏nuóxì), was still played. On my trip to Guizhou this time, I happened to see a few shows. 

Di Opera and Masks