Yueju Opera originated in Zhejiang Province during the mid-19th century. Despite stiff competition from TV, DVDs and on-line entertainment, it still has a stalwart audience south of the Yangtze river .

The preserve of female performers

As Peking University arts postgraduate Zhou Yingying from Zhejiang's Ningbo explains, "The distinctly feminine nuances of Yueju Opera are a musical evocation of southern China's pastel landscapes, graceful bridges and meandering rivers. Yueju Opera is the ultimate foil to Peking Opera's overtly Yang emphasis on martial arts and acrobatics ."

The feminine traits of Yueju Opera are accentuated by the soft southern dialect in which it is sung. In 1906 it was known as Luodi narration and singing, and in common with other types of opera, all its players were men. But in the decades that followed both its male and female roles were gradually taken over by women. Today, Yueju Opera is the acknowledged preserve of female performers.