Hebei Bangzi (Wooden Clapper) Opera
By admin on 2014-12-03

This is the main type of drama in Hebei Province. In the past it was called Jing Wooden Clapper Opera, Zhili Wooden Clapper Opera and Wei (referring to Tianjinwei) Wooden Clapper Opera before it became Hebei Wooden Clapper Opera in 1952. It is popular in Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Jilin, Liaoning, Heilongjiang, Inner Mongolia and Shandong.

It developed from Shaanxi Opera and Shanxi Wooden Clapper Opera, which were introduced into Hebei in the middle of the Qing Dynasty. The singing and narration are based on the Beijing dialects, and the classification of the roles and the performance forms are quite similar to those of Peking Opera. Famous actors and actresses include Li Guiyun, Han Junqin and Yin Dazi.