Qinqiang (秦腔, pinyin: Qínqiāng) or Luantan (乱弹, pinyin: Luàntán) is the representative folk opera of northwest Province of Shaanxi, China, where was called Qin thousands of years ago. Its melodies were originated from the rural areas of ancient Shaanxi and Gansu.

It uses Bangzi as instrument, as it is called Bangzi opera . Bangzi tune is the oldest, most affluent opera tunes in China's Four Great Characteristic Melodies. Qinqiang is the representative of the Bangzi opera and the most important origin of other Bangzi operas.

History

Characters

There are 13 kinds of characters in Qinqiang including four kinds of "Sheng " (生, male)(老生、须生、小生、幼生), six kinds of "Dan " (旦, female)(老旦、正旦、小旦、花旦、武旦、媒旦), two kinds of "Jing " (净, painted face male)(大净、毛净) and one kind of "Chou " (丑, Clown), also knowns as " 13 Tou Wangzi" (十三头网子).

Actors

• Wei Changsheng

Repertoire

• Sandixie

External links

• China Qinqiang Website (Chinese)