Nantong Opera [Photo/ js.ifeng.com]

Nantong Opera is the city’s local opera. It was formerly called tonzi opera, derived from “Shang tonzi”. The so-called tongzi were professional folk occultists, descended from witches of the State of Chu and Yue and famous for the ability to “communicate with God by dancing”. Nantong tongzi opera, another branch of ancient occultists with local colors of Nantong, gradually developed by integration and assimilation with the city’s language, culture, customs and folk conditions.

After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, superstitious contents of God worship and exorcism were removed from tongzi opera, and its rap performance style was used to in modern drama and to promote creative ideas; it was gradually assimilated by Nantong Opera, with improvements in choreography, performance, music and dance. Nantong Tongzi opera is now not only listed as a key special research topic, but is also attracting more and more attention from scholars at home and abroad.

Nantong Opera [Photo/ js.ifeng.com]