Some say it's on the way out. Others say it's coming back. The rest don't seem to care. It's called crosstalk - the closest thing to stand-up comedy you'll find on the mainland.
Crosstalk, or xiangsheng, literally means 'face and voice'. It's a traditional form of comic dialogue that developed during the late Qing dynasty (1644-1911). It usually involves two people, but can be done solo or by a group.
Crosstalks are scripted scenarios in which performers try to make fun or get the better of each other with rapid-fire exchanges of wit. The technique relies on the crafty use of language, but is more suited to certain northern dialects.
In its heyday, crosstalk artists performed at temple fairs and street markets in Beijing, Tianjin and other cities. The more famous artists performed in tea houses and theatres.
Crosstalks draw their subject matter from Chinese history, society and culture, poking fun at anything from regional dialects and folk tales to contemporary issues.
But there are limits: direct criticism of the government or its policies is forbidden. Racy, sexual content is also taboo.
This was not always the case, and some critics argue that a decline of crosstalk began with the 'liberation' of China in 1949. 'Crosstalk lost its teeth when the Communists came to power,' said one theatre director. 'After 1949, artists and writers were no longer allowed to criticise officials or tackle sensitive subjects because it was deemed a criticism of the government. It was starved of real subject matter.' Nevertheless, crosstalk continued to draw the crowds, despite taking a break during the Cultural Revolution. It adapted to television and radio, and, in the 1980s, became a staple of China Central Television's annual Spring Festival Gala.
