Ordinary folk give Yuju Opera lively second act

Yang Wanlin, a native of Chaoyanggou in Dengfeng, Henan, and honorary president of the Chaoyanggou Culture Research Association, said digital media has a vital role to play in promoting Yuju Opera.

"Short-video platforms are filled with classic excerpts from official archives and amateur covers of iconic works such as Chaoyanggou, a landmark modern-themed Yuju Opera masterpiece created in 1958. It tells the story of a young urban woman who chooses to build a life in rural China, and remains hugely popular among ordinary Chinese audiences," Yang said.

Yang believes cultural heritage cannot solely depend on professional performers. "It also needs ordinary people to love, perform and share this art on their own."

The new Yuju Opera regulation supports digital innovation including online theaters, livestreamed shows and sharing on social media. The aim is to help the traditional opera better reach young audiences.

Spanning generations

As the youngest member of the Suzhou Henan Yuju Amateur Troupe, Li Zongya, 23, is aware of his responsibility to keep the opera style alive and well.

A deliveryman and banhu (northern Chinese bowed string instrument) player in the troupe, he was born in Hebi, Henan, and moved to Suzhou in 2024.

His involvement started after he came across a livestream of one of the troupe's performances. After the show, he hurried onto the stage and introduced himself to the banhu players. He officially joined the troupe in early 2025.

Li said his hectic delivery job brings huge mental pressure.

"But performances and chats with fellow opera lovers are my biggest emotional comfort. Even with exhausting shift work, I adjust my schedule to take part in troupe activities," he said.

His small rental apartment is filled with banhu, erhu (a two-stringed fiddle), keyboards and professional audio equipment that he brought from his hometown.

"Cultural heritage does not come from sudden inspiration," Li said. "It lives on when we keep choosing and holding fast to what we truly love."

Through informal street opera get-togethers near Suzhou Railway Station, he has also found many young migrant workers living far from their homes who have a deep, untapped passion for Yuju Opera.

At the other end of the age spectrum is 68-year-old Cao Shuli, who relocated to Suzhou to care for his grandchildren. He said he has evolved from a passive listener into a confident performer ready for public appearances.

Meng Qingrong, 71, a retiree from Henan, said she dreamed of performing opera as a child, but never received formal training.

She moved to Suzhou to look after her grandchildren and joined the troupe four years ago. Back then she could only sing a song from Chaoyanggou. "I simply imitated old artists by listening to their audio recordings, and I knew nothing about stage steps or body movements."

Meng said after joining the troupe, director Liu and other members gave her lessons. "With consistent practice, my mind has become sharper and my memory has improved. Now I can perform on local stages in Suzhou."