Xiangsheng (Crosstalk) is a traditional Chinese comic performance featuring jokes and funny dialogues. Originated in Beijing, the art is popular across the country. It is widely believed that xiangsheng was formed sometime between the reigns of Emperor Xianfeng and Tongzhi of the Qing Dynasty, deriving from the "imitating shows" of the Song Dynasty. In the late Qing Dynasty, xiangsheng matured and developed into an art with unique features and styles. It was mainly performed in Beijing dialect and in some cases, in other dialects.
In the course of development, xiangsheng absorbed the essence of different art forms like vocal imitation, storytelling etc. It rose as a performing art that implies sobriety in humor, presenting the true, the good and the beautiful through satirical puns and bringing laughter to the audience. Modern xiangsheng is made up of four artistic skills - speaking, imitating, teasing and singing.
Xiangsheng can be performed in the form of a monologue, dialogue or a multi-player talk show. Monologue xiangsheng is performed by one person that mainly tells jokes; dialogue xiangsheng features two actors, with one person acting as the leading comedian and the other as the supporting role; and a multi-player show, otherwise known as "qunhuo (group performance)", is played by three or more people.
Traditional xiangsheng plays either satirize vile practices of old China or reflect various social phenomena through humorous storytelling. There are a total of over 200 such plays, such as Lord Guan Fighting with Qin Qiong, Operas and Dialects, False Expert and Stripping off the Mandarin Jacket. Currently, xiangsheng covers a wide range of subjects. Apart from works in traditional satirizing style, there are creations in praise of new heroes and events, mirroring real life. These works include A Nighttime Tour, Buying Monkeys, Yesterday, and the Cap Factory etc.
