ZIJIN HUACHAO OPERA

Eastern Guangdong province

Only one professional troupe in Zijin county, Guangdong province, which calls itself “the only troupe in the world (天下一团)”

Hakka dialect

The use of fans and handkerchiefs in Huachao opera gives it the nickname of “Guangdong’s errenzhuan” after the well-known vaudeville performance of northeastern China. The humorous and grassroots opera evolved from religious rituals in Zijin county in the Ming (1368 – 1644) and Qing (1616 – 1911) dynasties to expel disease, before changing to focus on folk stories that appeal to a broader audience. Common themes in Huachao opera are kindness, loyalty, and matrimonial freedom.

Qiuli Picking Flowers Selling General Goods