Yue Opera is popular in the region south of the Yangtze River, and is especially popular in Zhejiang, Shanghai, and Jiangsu. It originated in Shengzhou County in Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province in the early 20th century. It was named Yue Opera because it originated in part of the Yue State (Zhejiang) in the Spring and Autumn Period about 2,000 years ago.

It first appeared at the end of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), starting with only narration and singing. As the performers sang to the accompaniment of a rhythmic didu, didu sound made by a drum and sandalwood clappers, they were also called "Didu troupes." In the late 1920s, with the emergence of a large number of female performers, a Didu troupe with only female performers appeared; it was called the Women's Refined Opera. In the autumn of 1938, it formally adopted the name of Yueju. Later, orchestra accompaniment was added.

Also dubbed Luantan, Qinqiang Opera is a local Chinese opera that mainly thrives in north China's Shaanxi Province, as well as its neighboring regions in Northwest China, like Gansu and Qinghai provinces and the Ningxia Hui and XinjiangUygur autonomous regions. It boasts the most ancient, affluent, and largest musical system of all Chinese operas.

The opera first originated from local folk songs and dance forms in theYellow River Valley of Shaanxi and Gansu provinces -- the birthplaces of Chinese culture. According to historical records, the opera "first appeared in the Qin Dynasty (221-206BC), experienced great refinement in the Han Dynasty (206 BC-220 AD), flourished in the Tang (618-907), was formally integrated as an opera form in the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), matured in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and became widespread in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911)." Its time-honored history has endowed Qinqiang with a reputation as the forefather of Chinese operas.