Liuqiang is a local drama of the Han nationality in Qingdao, Shandong Province. It originated in the western part of Jimo in the middle of the Qing Dynasty and evolved from the folk storytelling "ben ougu". During the Qianlong period, after the "elbow drum" was introduced to Jimo, it merged with local folk tunes and yangko, and gradually changed from storytelling to singing. Although the form is simple and the performance is plain, it is very popular because of its strong local accent and lively and interesting. About a hundred years ago, influenced by the four-string minor tune of Laiyang County, it began to be accompanied by a four-string huqin and accompanied by a whistle. When the four-string huqin was first used for accompaniment, there was no fixed score, so the qin player and the actor could not fully coordinate and could only slide up together, so it was called "liuqiang". Later, because the word "liu" was not elegant, it was changed to "liuqiang", and Jimo was also called "the hometown of Liuqiang". Later, it became popular in the Jiaodong area and spread to the urban area of Qingdao. Liuqiang has its own unique style. In 2008, it was selected into the second batch of national intangible cultural heritage list. In terms of language, Liuqiang uses the dialect of Jimo area, which belongs to Jiaoliao Mandarin, a northern dialect of Chinese. It is easy to understand, simple and friendly, rich in exaggeration, full of life, and has a strong local flavor. The spread area of Liuqiang is centered on Jimo City, extending to Pingdu City, Laiyang City, Laixi City, Haiyang City, Jiaozhou City, and the area adjacent to Jimo and Qingdao City. In terms of music, Liuqiang uses folk music accompaniment, which is divided into Wenchang and Wuchang. Wenchang is composed of string music and wind music. The main string instruments are Sihu, Erhu, Zhonghu, Pipa, Yueqin, Sanxian, Yangqin, etc. Wind music includes Sheng, Suona, Dizi, etc. Wind music is mainly used to play overtures and tunes, which play a role in transition and creating atmosphere. The main instruments of Wuchang are Bangu, Daluo, Xiaoluo, Hanging Cymbals, Xiaoluo, Dumb Cymbals, Bengzhong, Datanggu, etc., which are used for percussion accompaniment. The music scores and drum beats are mostly borrowed from the sets of Liuzi and Peking Opera. The tunes of Liuqiang include singing tunes, string accompaniment tunes and wind and percussion tunes, most of which are developed from local folk songs and minor tunes, and some are transplanted from other operas. Commonly used tunes include "Sibuxiang", "Beiduzi", "Huaduozi", "Jujushuang", "Douyeqing", "Chaotianzi", "Dengtianti", "Chouzhongmen", "Furonghua", "Nanluo", "Dasawgang", and nearly 50 others. In terms of singing, the formation of Liuqiang has gone through a development process from unaccompanied free singing to accompaniment and fixed-tone singing. The basic singing tune of "Benzhuogu", the predecessor of Liuqiang, is "Oh Ho Om", and its starting tune and ending tone are one person singing and many people singing together, or suona and hand drums replace harmony. "Oh Ho Om" is a pad sound in the singing, and there is no interpretation. In terms of musical style, the singing styles of Liuqiang are divided into sad tune, also known as "sad palace" or "sad work", flower tune, raw tune, counter tune, and Nanluo and baby tune borrowed from other operas. Among them, sad tune and flower tune are the basic singing styles, known as "mother songs". In terms of the style or rhythm, there are big slow tune, slow tune, original tune, sharp tune, scattered tune, crying head, Erliu, Liushui, fast tune, and Duoban. The last sentence of the flower tune is played with the transition of the suona tune "Duozi", which inherits and develops the singing method of "Oh Ho Om". In terms of performance, the performance of Liuqiang has also experienced a development process from rough to delicate. In the long-term practice, it has gradually transformed into the basic use of "hand, eye, body, hair, and step", so that singing, reciting, acting, fighting, and dancing are organically combined, which improves the performance art. Liuqiang mainly performs singing operas with twists and turns in the plot, including tragedy, comedy, farce, etc. Since the 1920s, Liuqiang has been influenced by other operas and combined with local folk martial arts. It has also begun to perform martial arts plays, and the roles of Danma Dan and Wusheng have appeared, gradually forming a stylized martial arts routine. Its roles are divided into Sheng, Dan, Jing, Mo, Chou, etc., which are basically the same as other operas. Sheng is divided into Dasheng, Xiaosheng, Laosheng, and Wawasheng, all of which are sung in their natural voices. Dan is divided into Qingyi, Huadan, Daoma Dan, Laodan, Caidan, etc., and the ending sound is mostly sung in false voice. Jing is commonly known as Hualian, and sings both civil and martial arts. Mo specializes in playing middle-aged and elderly roles. Now its characteristics are not obvious and it has basically been merged into Sheng. Chou often plays negative, funny or stupid roles. The content of Liuqiang repertoires is mostly traditional folk stories that the people love to hear and see. The dialogue uses Jimo dialect, and the tunes include happy tunes, sad tunes, Duoban, slow tunes, counted boards, Nanluo, and Wawaqiang. The singing is gentle and delicate, beautiful and fluent, the language is humorous and vivid, the performance is simple and unpretentious, with a strong local color and a strong flavor of rural life, and is deeply loved by the masses. Especially with the accompaniment of the melodious and pleasant tunes of the "four-string huqiner", coupled with the unique "hooking tune" of Liuqiang, which turns up 8 degrees or 6 degrees, it sounds lingering and lingering. There are hundreds of traditional repertoires of Liuqiang, mainly "four capitals" and "eight records". "Four capitals" are "Tokyo", "Xijing", "Nanjing" and "Beijing"; "eight records" are "Luoshanji", "Yuhuanji", "Huolongji", "Embroidered Shoesji", "Keyji", "Golden Hairpinji", "Kiteji" and "Silk Orchidji". There are many repertoires that reflect family ethics, such as "Seven Virtues", "Two Crutches", "Ma Widow Opens a Shop", "Xiaoguxian", "Beating the City God", "Picking Wheat", etc. They also created and performed a large number of modern dramas such as "Spring Blossoms" and "Two In-laws". After the founding of New China, Liuqiang art has been comprehensively improved and expanded. It can perform not only traditional plays, but also modern plays and martial arts plays. Its spread area has also been continuously expanded, not only in the Jiaodong Peninsula but also in Hebei, Jiangsu and Northeast China, and it is known and loved by a wider audience. (No pictures yet, welcome to provide.) (No pictures yet, welcome to provide.)