Yìyáng

Yiyang lies on the Xin River in northeastern Jiangxi. Its name became known far beyond the county through a vigorous style of theatre that grew from southern drama and local speech. Yiyang singing was marked by high, forceful melodies and a performance in which one voice could be answered by others.

By the early Ming the style had spread across Jiangxi and into other provinces. As travelling companies adapted it to local languages and music, related forms appeared in Anhui, Zhejiang and elsewhere. These styles came to be known collectively as high-pitched singing, or gaoqiang. Their stories included the Buddhist tale of Mulian rescuing his mother, performed over many scenes for audiences at temples and festivals.