Quyi is a traditional Chinese art form which combines story telling with music and performances. The narrative is accompanied by music and performance.

A stone sculpture unearthed in Sichuang Province shows that the art existed early in the Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220). During the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD), people began to preach Buddhism to the accompaniment of music. Gradually an art came into being.

Usually, less than three people are needed for a show.

Deeply rooted in China, the art is divided into three style categories and subdivided into 300 parts the three major styles are story-telling, story-singing, and joke-telling.

Story-telling can be either words alone, or words accompanied by music. One of the most representative non-music styles in the North is called Pingshu; the same style in the South is called Pinghua.

The most important form of joke-telling is Xiang sheng, or crosstalk, the comic dialogue of Northern China, which in the South is called Huaji, comic words in Chinese.

Story-singing seems to have the largest sub-group. Each style has a strong local flavour in either its accent or music.

The major categories are as follows:

Beijing Qinshu - This form of ballad-singing originated with farmers who liked to sing stories in their spare time. No professionals practised the art until the mid-19th century. The singing is usually accompanied by dulcimer, but now sanxian, and sihu (a four-stringed instrument) are sometimes added. The art is popular in Beijing and Tianjin.

Errenzhuan - Also known as Bengbeng, this is a very popular art in Northeastern China. It is said to date from the early 19th century. The art is often performed by two persons, a man and a woman. It is characterized by its humour and strong local accent of the Northeastern China.

Danxian - In this art one person sings while playing sanxian, a three-stringed plucked instrument. It is very popular in the north. The art is performed in two styles. In one, the singer is accompanied by a second person playing sanxian. In the other, one person sings and plays by himself.

Dongbei Dagu - It is said that a ballad singer from Beijing brought this form of ballad-singing to Northeastern China during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). It is generally sung by one person who beats time to the accompaniment of sanxian played by a second person on stage.

Dujiaoxi - Also known as "comic play," this form of art is popular around Shanghai, Jiangsu and Zhejiang. It is originated in about 1920. Generally it is played by less than three persons, and combines singing, talking, performance and oral skills similar to those used in crosstalk.

Henan Zhuizi - This form of ballad-singing is popular in Henan Province, where it was formerly called Daoqing and Yinggeliu. It has borrowed much from other folk arts like Shandong Dagu, Sanxianshu and Qinshu. Growing from a local art, it first spread to Beijing, Tianjing and Shanghai in the 1920s, and gradually became one of the most popular arts throughout the country.

Jingyun Dagu - This form of ballad-singing grew from a folk art called Muban Dagu in Cangzhou and Hebei. It is now popular in Northeastern China and Hebei Province. Its repertoire is comprised of short stories that can be completed in about two hours.

Leting Dagu - This ballad-singing art, popular in Hebei Province, originated in Hebei's Leting County where locals are said to be good at singing. Its repertoire includes many classical Chinese literature works like "Journey to the West."

Meihua Dagu - This is a ballad singing art popular in Beijing and Tianjin. It is also known as Qingkou Dagu, and Meihua Diao. It originated in Beijing during the Qing Dynasty(1644-1911).

Nanyin - Also known as Nanqu, Nanguan, Nanyue, and Xiaoguan, this ballad-singing art is popular in Fujian, Taiwan and Southeastern Asia, wher