A Qinqiang Opera actor is checking his costume backstage.

Qinqiang is a form of opera based on folk tunes that are performed in the dialect spoken in Shaanxi Province. Its origins can be traced back to the central region of Shaanxi. By the late Ming (1368-1644) and early Qing (1644-1911) dynasties, it had become quite a popular opera genre nationwide. When performed, this art is characterized by a wild, loud vocal performance, content taken from everyday life, and a display of an array of artistic skills. Recognizing its artistic and cultural value, China designated it as a national cultural heritage item in 2006.

There are nearly 3,000 classic Qinqiang works that have been found, and most of them are adapted from historical tales, legends, and folk stories. Qinqiang music can be categorized into happy tunes and melancholy tunes, while the former conveys an optimistic and cheerful mood, the latter expresses pessimistic and upset emotions. Various traditional instruments including erhu (a two-string bowed instrument), flute, sanxian (a three-string bowed instrument), suona (a double-reed instrument), drums, and clappers are used to perform the accompanying music.

One of Qinqiang’s major characteristics is that the content is recited or sung in the dialect spoken in central Shaanxi. Another iconic feature is howling-like singing, an effective way of expressing grievances. The roles in Qinqiang mainly consist of general male characters (Sheng), female characters (Dan), rough male characters (Jing) and clowns (Chou). Besides smooth dance movements, engaging techniques of martial arts and special acts, such as blowing fire, are also highlights displayed during the performance.

In recent years, as the birthplace of Qinqiang, Shaanxi has made continuous efforts to preserve this ancient art form including introducing supportive policies, setting up China’s first Qinqiang-themed cultural block and museum, organizing the Qinqiang Art Festival, and sponsoring public performances of Qinqiang and other activities. Modern methods are also being utilized to preserve and promote it including streaming performances online, building digital museums and creative products, as well as producing animes, movies, and television series.