Traditional Role-Playing in Southern Chinese Villages

Chinese farmers perform roles of historical and modern figures to pass on Chinese traditional culture, confirm their identities, express their desires, even express themselves, offer criticism, and so on.

In the rural villages of Southern China, farmers spontaneously organize cultural and folk activities during the Spring Festival and other traditional holidays, a tradition that dates back over a thousand years to the Qin and Han dynasties. Among these activities, farmers perform by taking on various roles. Most of these performers in China are engaged in low-level jobs or are unemployed. They perform by portraying various characters to inherit Chinese traditional culture, confirm their identities, express their desires, even express themselves, offer criticism, and so on.