The Origin of Cantonese Opera

Yueju Opera (Cantonese Opera), originally known as Daxue or Guangdong Opera, originated from the Southern Opera and appeared 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, musicians' music, stage costumes and abstract shapes, etc. Each line has its own unique costumes. Each line of Cantonese opera has its own distinctive costumes. The initial 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 to facilitate the propagation of 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.