How has Qinqiang Opera resonated for thousands of years?

CGTN reporter Xu Hua travels to Shaanxi Province in northwest China to experience Qinqiang Opera, a treasured form of intangible cultural heritage that has thrived for more than a millennium. 

This is the "Ghost Blowing Fire" technique in Qinqiang Opera. 

With carefully controlled breaths, 81 bursts of fire were unleashed in succession. 

Such breathtaking artistry has helped ignite global fascination with Qinqiang Opera. 

MARIA PIERRO GRIPP Tourist from Brazil "It is amazing to see a Chinese opera in a public place, I am impressed."

And for the people of northwest China? It's in their blood. 

WANG NING Xi'an Resident "I come to listen every two or three days. Without Qinqiang Opera, I just don't feel right, it's uncomfortable."

Shaanxi, in northwest China, is one of the origin locations of Qinqiang Opera. Not everyone can sing it, yet every soul here is raised on it. 

XU HUA Xi'an City, Shaanxi Province "Listen to the cheers – Qinqiang Opera is having its moment. But here's a crazier fact: But this art form was born before Rome was built. Can you believe it?"

A hit TV drama, The Lead, has put Qinqiang Opera back in the spotlight. But its cultural roots date back to the "Qin Feng" in the Book of Songs – over 2,500 years ago, when soldiers roared before battle: "Are you not battle-drest? Let's share the plate for breast!"

From the Qin Dynasty, Qinqiang Opera evolved for over 2,000 years – earning the name "forefather of Chinese operas." 

So what's kept it alive for thousands of years? 

We went backstage to meet someone who has lived it for 40 years. 

HAN LIXIA Senior Actress, Successor of Qinqiang Artist Meng Eyun "That piece we just did is Mr. Meng Heyun's most famous opera, Three Drops of Blood. People always request it whenever we perform out there."

Now in her 50s, Han Lixia began studying opera at the age of 11, embarking on a lifelong journey with the art nearly four decades ago. 

In her view, Qinqiang Opera is far more than a form of artistic expression. 

HAN LIXIA Senior Actress, Successor of Qinqiang Artist Meng Eyun "Qinqiang Opera is all about moral cultivation through performance – the core values of benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trustworthiness; upholding justice and protecting the innocent; devotion to family and country. That's what every single play is about."

For many, Qinqiang Opera is not sung, it is shouted. 

CHEN CHAOWU Vice President, Yisu Theater "Shouting is also a way for people to vent their emotions, and it's required by the plot. Just like us from Northwest China, we have straightforward personalities. That state of mind and that kind of spirit – it's outward-facing."

In this fast-paced world, heritage is hard to keep. 

Yet they live by a creed... 

HAN LIXIA Senior Actress, Successor of Qinqiang Artist Meng Eyun "The stage comes before anything else. After decades of training and performing on stage, I feel that even if I have only one breath left, I must still dedicate the entire performance to the audience."

Today, the Qinqiang Opera Museum preserves over 800 plays, bridging the past and the present. 

Thousands of years ago, Qin soldiers roared these melodies before going into battle. Today, they still echo across dusty village stages, grand theaters, and the hearts of a new generation. 

Born from the yellow earth, this powerful voice refuses to be silenced.