Tianjin's teahouses turn laughs into hot biz

TIANJIN — A traditional crosstalk teahouse in a shopping mall in the northern Chinese port city of Tianjin experienced one of its biggest crowds of the year during the Spring Festival holiday.

Most of the audience consisted of out-of-town visitors, and tickets were often sold out quickly. Qianxiangyi, a century-old brand once known as a silk fabric store, has transformed itself by launching a crosstalk teahouse that promotes traditional culture.

On stage, performers in long gowns delivered rapid-fire comedic dialogue, blending new year greetings, local anecdotes and observations on modern life. The audience sipped tea, snacked on sunflower seeds and erupted in laughter from time to time.

Crosstalk, or xiangsheng in Chinese, is a popular Chinese comedic performance art with a history of over a century. It has long flourished in Tianjin, a historic cultural melting pot known for its relaxed atmosphere and the humorous character of local people.

Today, the folk art is becoming a new driver of tourism and spending.

"It is developing into a golden cultural asset for the city," said Shi Qingyuan, a member of the China Quyi Artists Association. "Through branding and integration with tourism, crosstalk is stimulating consumption."

Visitors are drawn by its reputation. "The live atmosphere is fantastic and perfect for the holiday season," said a tourist surnamed Liu from Jiangsu province, who booked his ticket a week in advance.

Relocated to a commercial complex in 2018, Qianxiangyi's new model has been successful.

Despite the addition of extra performances during the holiday, tickets sold out almost immediately, with daily visitor numbers reaching nearly 1,000, said Zhou Yue, manager of the Qianxiangyi crosstalk teahouse.

"The teahouse acts as a cultural magnet. After watching the show, people naturally stay to dine and shop, directly boosting spending," said Zhou.

At the Ancient Culture Street, a top-rated tourist attraction in Tianjin, the Mingliu Teahouse has been operating for over three decades. During the holiday, all five of its outlets reported peak attendance.

During the holiday, its flagship store staged six consecutive performances and received over 1,000 visitors in just one day, said manager Zhu Tao. Tickets were quickly snapped up online.

The Ancient Culture Street itself is abuzz with activity, featuring dragon and lion dances, hanfu performances and other traditional Chinese New Year festivities.

"Many visitors explored the old street and immersed themselves in the festive atmosphere before heading into our teahouse to experience an authentic Chinese New Year through genuine Tianjin crosstalk," Zhu said.

The vibrancy of crosstalk in Tianjin now permeates not only the historic streets and shopping malls but also stretches into the city's parks.

The Xi'an crosstalk theater, located in a park, scheduled over 30 shows during the holiday, attracting large audiences.

A teahouse and a restaurant that opened six months ago nearby have been doing really well, benefiting from the influx of theatergoers.

"Audiences often stroll through the park or dine nearby after a show, forming a natural leisure spending chain," said Lyu Xiaoming, the theater's deputy general manager.

Data from leading teahouses show that during the holiday, over 90 percent of the audience were nonlocal tourists.

Zhang Xiaohu, an official with the Tianjin Quyi Troupe, said that demand for folk performing arts is shifting from "content consumption" to "scene consumption".

"What audiences are buying is not just a performance, but an immersive, shareable memory," he said. This shift significantly enhances the added value of consumption.

"For Tianjin, crosstalk has long transcended mere entertainment to become a defining symbol of the city's cultural identity," said Chen Bing, deputy director of the Tianjin Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism.

Xinhua - China Daily