Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 11, 2026

Yangzhou opera

Yangzhou opera is a form of Chinese opera from Yangzhou in Jiangsu province. Its popularity has spread to Zhenjiang and Nanjing in Jiangsu, as well as Shanghai and parts of Anhui province. It made the first national intangible cultural heritage list in 2006.

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Jun 11, 2026
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Yangzhou opera in Nanjing, 8 August 2019. The actress in blue is portraying a young boy. source ↗

Yangzhou opera (Chinese: 扬剧; pinyin: Yángjù; lit. 'Yang opera') is a form of Chinese opera from Yangzhou in Jiangsu province. Its popularity has spread to Zhenjiang and Nanjing in Jiangsu, as well as Shanghai and parts of Anhui province.1 It made the first national intangible cultural heritage list in 2006.2

Its origins dates to the Kangxi Emperor's reign. In the beginning, it had only two character types, a clown (Chou role) and a woman (Dan role). It has more character types now, but still only two singing styles, male and female.3

References

References

  1. Ye, Tan (2008). "Yangzhou Opera". Historical Dictionary of Chinese Theater. The Scarecrow Press. p. 372. ISBN 978-0-8108-5514-4.
  2. "SECOND LIST OF INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE, TOTALLING 518 ITEMS, ISSUED BY THE STATE COUNCIL, 20 MAY 2006" (PDF). China Heritage Quarterly. Retrieved 6 April 2020.
  3. "扬剧" (in Chinese). Encyclopedia of China. Retrieved 6 April 2020.