IT is not uncommon to see people going to karaoke outlets and playing cards and mahjong during the Spring Festival holiday in Chinese villages. As part of a rural revitalization strategy, traditional opera shows were also staged to enrich the cultural life of rural residents.

Ninghai Pingdiao (Flat Tone), one of the operas of East China’s Zhejiang Province with origins in the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties, has about 400 years of history. In 2006, it was listed among the first group of national intangible cultural heritage.

The opera stands out from other local variants because of its “teeth playing” performance. In the show, wild boar tusks about eight centimeters long are used. Actors need to put several such teeth in the mouth and show them to express the role’s emotions while singing and speaking lines.

“Teeth playing” in Pingdiao and “face changing” in Sichuan Opera are known as “West face East teeth.”

From Feb. 7 to 9, the Ninghai Xiaobaihua Yue Opera Troupe performed both Yueju Opera and Pingdiao at the cultural activity center of Jiujiang Village, Ninghai County, in Zhejiang Province. Taking cultural performances to the grassroots during the holiday not only provided rural residents with a cultural treat, but also knowledge about traditional opera.

Although Ninghai Pingdiao has a long history, it had lost itspopularity. But, primary and middle schools are now actively introducing traditional opera to the students. It provides opportunities for students to learn about traditional culture.

(SD-Agencies)