Gezai Opera (Xiang Opera)

Gezai opera grew from Minnan 'gezai' folk balladry, drawing in elements of Liyuan, Beiguan, Gaojia and Peking opera. It rose in Taiwan in the early twentieth century, soon crossed to Xiamen, and spread through Minnan and overseas Chinese communities. In 2006 it entered the first national ICH list (Ⅳ-64), jointly declared by Xiamen and Zhangzhou, and in Minnan is also called Xiang opera.

Performed in the Minnan dialect, gezai opera centers on the 'seven-character' and 'recitative' tunes, with acting close to everyday life and heartfelt emotion. Its stories draw on folk tales and historical legend, making it a shared cultural memory of Minnan people on both sides of the strait.

As the only opera that took shape across the strait, gezai opera stands as living evidence of the shared roots of Fujian and Taiwan culture, carried on in Xiamen through a dedicated heritage and research institution.