Shanxi Opera

Shanxi Opera, also known as luantan (a general term for Chinese opera melodies other than Kunshan and Yiyang melodies in the Qing Dynasty, 1644-1911), is derived from west Qin melodies and is popular in Northwest China, such as Shanxi, Gansu, Qinghai, Ningxia and Xinjiang. It can also be called a bangzi tune (Chinese local operas performed to the accompaniment of wooden clappers or bangzi). An anonymous person in the late Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) referred to west Qin melodies in the legends of Lotus in Bowl. Since Gansu was called west Qin in ancient times, Shanxi Opera derived from Gansu and was named a west Qin melody. During the reign of Emperor Kangxi in the Qing Dynasty, Zhang Dingwang from Jingyang, Shanxi, wrote On Shanxi Opera, indicating that Shanxi Opera had reached a mature stage. During the reign of Emperor Qianlong, Wei Changsheng performed Shanxi Opera in Beijing. It was a hit and directly affected bangzi tunes in other areas.