Shaoxing Lianhualao Ballad

Shaoxing Lianhualao is a sung-storytelling art popular around Shaoxing, taking shape during the Daoguang and Xianfeng reigns of the 19th century. It entered the first national ICH list in 2006.

Early performances used a 'ligongche' chant with one lead and chorused responses; from the 1920s the sihu fiddle accompaniment gave rise to the 'basic tune' still used today. Its plain-spoken lyrics draw on daily life and legend, blending comedy, exaggeration and gentle satire.

With its earthy humour and dialect flavour, the ballad mirrors everyday life in the lower Yangtze and is among Shaoxing's most popular folk arts, carried on by performers such as Ni Qiquan and Weng Renkang.