On January 22, residents of Changqiao Community in Changsha, Hunan Province in central China, were treated to a real opera feast. Artists from the Hunan Provincial Xiangju Opera Troupe performed several classic works, including Wu Song Fighting in the Inn, a thrilling acrobatic act with the hero being Wu Song, a fictional character from the classic Chinese novel Outlaws of the Marsh who is most famous for killing a tiger with his bare hands while drunk, and Welcoming Caishen, a deity responsible for people’s economic and financial fortunes in ancient Chinese folklore. Xiangju is a centuries-old form of theater popular in parts of Hunan, which was added to the national intangible cultural heritage list in 2008.
The actors impressed their audience with first-rate vocal techniques and flamboyant character portrayals. “I’m so happy to.
