Old Tune is a rhythmic vocal opera genre derived from local shadow puppet plays in Huayin City of Shaanxi Province. It is commonly known as "Old Tune Shadow".
Unlike traditional Chinese art that is gentle and simple, Old Tune is characterized by its bold and strong style. The music is solemn and stirring and the tune is free and unconstrained. In addition, loud cheers can often be heard in the performance. That's why Old Tune is also called "Loud Cheer Show".
Hardwood clappers are used in the show as accompaniment to liven up the performance. It is said that Old Tune has a history of over 2,000 years, but it is only popular in the adjoining counties at the foot of Huashan Mountain. Old Tune can be said of "a living fossil of Chinese operas" due to its unique artistic and historical values.
