The Four Great Drama Genres of the Republic of China

The four major theater genres are Peking Opera, Huangmei Opera, Yueju Opera and Yu Opera.

Peking Opera, known as the "National Opera", is one of the five major Chinese opera genres, also known as "Pihuang", consisting of two basic cadences, "Xipi" and "Erhuang". It is also known as "Pihuang", and consists of two basic cadences, "Xipi" and "Erhuang", as well as some local tunes (e.g., Liuzi cadence, Blow cadence, etc.) and Kunqu qubangs. It was named because it was formed in Beijing around 1840 and flourished in the 1930s and 1940s, and is known as the "National Opera". It is a big opera with national influence. It is a representative of modern Chinese opera with its comprehensive lines, mature performances and beautiful atmosphere. It is an authentic Chinese national treasure.

Huangmei Opera, one of the five major Chinese opera genres, originated in Huangmei County, Hubei Province, and developed in Anqing, Anhui Province. Its predecessor was the tea-collecting tune of Huangmei, and after the mid-Qing Dynasty, it formed a folk opera called "Huangmei Tune" and was sung in the Anqing dialect.In the 1950s, under the reforms of Yan Fengying and others, the performance became more mature, and it was developed into a major local opera in Anhui Province. Famous plays include "The Match of Heavenly Fairies", "The Cowherd and the Weaving Maiden", and "Female Emperor's Son-in-law". The tunes are melodious, beautiful and touching, with a fragrant earthy flavor, and are loved by people all over the world.

Vietnamese Opera is recognized as the second largest local opera in China, and is known as the second national opera. It has been called "Chinese opera" abroad. It has been called the "most widely circulated local opera". It is one of the five major Chinese opera genres. It is considered to be the "largest local opera genre". It originated in Shengzhou, Zhejiang Province, flourished in Shanghai, and spread throughout the country and the world. In the course of its development, it drew on the achievements of Kunqu, drama, Shaoxing Opera and other specialties, and underwent a historical evolution from men's Yueju Opera to women's Yueju Opera, and was listed in the first batch of national intangible cultural heritages.

Cantonese opera is popular in Guangdong, Hong Kong, Southeast Asia and other Cantonese-speaking areas. Formed in the early Qing Dynasty, it is a combination of the imported voices of Gaoqiang, Kunqiang, Pihuang, and Bangkang, and local folk music. The music is in the form of a combination of plate cadences and quqiqi. The repertoire includes "Searching the Academy" and "Guan Hanqing". Formerly known as Da Opera or Guangdong Opera, it originated from the Southern Opera, which began to appear in Guangdong and Guangxi from 1522 to 1566 AD (during the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty). It is a performing art that combines chorus, singing, reading and playing, musician's music, stage costumes, abstract forms, etc. It is also known as Cantonese Opera, which has been widely recognized as the most popular opera in China. Each line of Cantonese opera has its own distinctive costumes. The original language of performance was the Central Plains dialect, also known as the official dialect of the opera house. Towards the end of the Qing Dynasty, intellectuals changed the language of performance to Cantonese Cantonese in order to facilitate the propagation of the revolution, making it easier for Cantonese people to understand. Cantonese Opera is on the first 518 items of national intangible cultural heritage list announced on May 20, 2006 AD. On September 30, 2009, Cantonese opera was recognized by UNESCO and inscribed on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Taken from Baidu.com, thank you.