The History of Crosstalk

Crosstalk (相声), a kind of folk rap and song. The word "crosstalk" was originally used to simulate other people's speech and behavior, and later developed into "Xiangsheng" (象声). Xiangsheng is also known as the elephant voice next door. Xiangsheng originated in the North China region of the folk rap opera, in the Ming Dynasty has been prevalent. After the development of the Qing Dynasty until the early years of the Republic of China, the comedy gradually developed from a person copying ventriloquism into a single joke, the name also changed to the comedy. One type of one-word comedy gradually developed into many types: one-word comedy, counterpart comedy, and group comedy, all synthesized into one. There are different modes of development of comedy on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.

Chinese comedy has three major birthplaces: Beijing Tianqiao, Tianjin Guanyechang, Sanzhou'er and Nanjing Fuzimiao. The art of comedy originated in North China, became popular in Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei, and was popularized throughout the country and at home and abroad, beginning in the Ming and Qing dynasties and flourishing in the contemporary era. It is mainly performed orally. Performance forms include monologue, duologue, group comedy, etc. It is rooted in folklore and originated from folk culture. It is a form of performing art that is rooted in folklore, originates from life and is popular among the masses. The originator of comedy is Zhang Sanlu, and the famous schools are "Ma (Sanli) School", "Hou (Baolin) School", "Chang (Baokun) School", "Su (Wenmao) School", "Su (Wenmao) School", "Ma (Sanli) School", "Hou (Baolin) School", "Chang (Baokun) School" and "Su (Wenmao) School". The famous masters of comedy performances include Ma Sanli, Hou (Baolin), Chang (Bao Koon), Su (Wen Mao), Ma (Ji), and so on. Famous masters of comedy performance include Ma Sanli, Hou Baolin, Chang Baokun, Su Wenmao, Liu Baorui and many others. In the late twentieth century, a generation of masters led by Hou Baolin and Ma Sanli fell one after another, and the comedy career fell into a trough.

Since 2005, with the spread of new media such as online video sites, comedian Guo Degang and his De Yun She have risen to prominence, bringing the public's attention back to the art of comedy, and realizing a second renaissance of comedy.

In 2008, comedy was added to the State Council's list of the second batch of national intangible cultural heritage.