Shaoju Opera, also known as Shaoxing Luantan or Shaoxing Daban, mainly prevails in Shaoxing, Ningbo and Hangzhou cities of Zhejiang Province as well as Shanghai Municipality in East China. The art form was known as Shaoxing Opera (albeit only in 1953), for it originated in Shaoxing and is most popular in the region.

There are many classic repertoires of the art form like the Fight Between the Tiger and Dragon. In the latter development, stories taken from the classic Chinese novel Pilgrims to the West abounded.

The famous actor, Six-year-old Child (originally named Zhang Zongyi) portrayed a clever, brave and righteous artistic figure of Sun Wukong (the monkey in the novel) with a unique style.

Seven-year-old Child (originally named Zhang Zongxin), with a humorous, free and easy style, portrayed a lovely, funny, clumsy, and kind yet annoying figure of Zhu Bajie (the pig in the novel).

The audience passionately applauded both actors, and the program Three Battles with the White Bone Demon, in which the two artists starred, once won acclaims from Chairman Mao Zedong and the famous litterateur Guo Moruo.

The influential traditional operas include Fight between Dragon and Tiger, Hou Zhusha, Dragon and Phoenix Lock, Reed Catkins, Royalties Painting; the representative new historical plays are Yu Qian and Beheading Wei Zheng; and the best-known modern play is Bloods and Tears. Three Battles with the White Bone Demon has been shot into a film.

The famous performers of the art form include Liang Younong, Wu Changshun, Lu Changsheng, Xiao Linglong, Lin Fangjin, Wang Xiaokui, Zhang Zongyi, Zhang Zongxin, Xiao Shunchang, Chen Hegao, Zhang Yanqiu, Wang Zhenfang (Thirteen-year-old Child), Qian Huiyun and Xiao Yanqiu as well as other famous performers.

(Author: Jeff)

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