Xiangsheng
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Xiangsheng (Traditional Chinese: 相聲; Simplified Chinese: 相声; pinyin: xiàngsheng), sometimes translated as crosstalk, is a traditional Chinese comedic performance in the form of a monologue or a dialogue. The language, rich in puns and allusions, is used in a rapid, bantering style. Xiangsheng is one of China's foremost performing arts.
Canadian xiangsheng comedian Dashan (Mark Rowswell) says the closest equivalent in English would be Abbott and Costello's "Who's on First?" sketch.
The term "xiangsheng" (written 像生 or 象聲) originally referred to the act of imitating someone's speech and actions. It rose as a performing act during the Ming Dynasty. From the Qing Dynasty to the 1920s, xiangsheng gradually developed to become a style of comedic monologue. Later xiangsheng came to be performed as a dialogue and sometimes even in groups of three or more.
The earliest xiangsheng comedian known by name is Zhang Sanlu (張三祿), who performed in the mid nineteenth century.
After the widespread use of Mandarin from 1949, the popularity of xiangsheng increased throughout the People's Republic of China. It is a standard feature of CCTV's annual New Year's Gala and other popular performing arts shows in China.
Modern xiangsheng is made up of four skills - speaking (說), imitating (學), teasing (逗), and singing (唱).
