Qinqiang Opera is a local Chinese opera that mainly thrives (繁荣) in north west China’s Shaanxi Province, as well as its neighboring regions, like Gansu and Qinghai Provinces. It has the most ancient and     1     (large) musical system of all Chinese operas.

    2     (arise) from local folk songs and dance forms in the Yellow River Valley,     3     is the birthplace of Chinese culture, the opera first appeared in the Qin Dynasty.     4     (it) time-honored history has offered Qinqiang Opera a reputation as the forefather     5     Chinese operas.

Its contents usually feature such themes as anti-aggression (反侵略) wars, as well as a number of other     6     (topic) of strong human interest that reflect the characteristics of local people.

Qinqiang Opera is also one of the earliest operatic musical systems to reflect the emotions of human beings.     7     (equip) with a set of performing skills created by the artists, Qinqiang Opera     8     (influence) other operatic forms for long. During the Qing Dynasty, Qinqiang Opera entered Beijing and     9     (direct) affected the formation of Peking Opera. Qinqiang Opera thrived during     10     rule of Emperor Qianlong when Qinqiang troupes (剧团) were distributed throughout the country.

Lion dance is very popular in China. As a well-known folk activity    1     is traditionally believed to bring prosperity and good luck, lion dance is often seen performed at festive occasions. Accompanied by the sound of beating drums, dancers     2     (dress) up in lion costumes jump back and forth, showing stunning Kung Fu and acrobatic(杂技的) skills. Crowds bursting into applause in response to the performance of this special kind of dancing always help create     3     festive atmosphere that fills the air.

In the 1990s, high-pole lion dancing     4     (introduce) and promoted in Nanhai of Foshan City. Different     5    traditional lion dancing, it has its own unique rules.     6     (performer) do not jump around on the ground but on poles ranging between one to three meters high. Besides, the space between poles also     7     (vary). The poles are often set up where dancers’ skills could be showed while at the same time the audience can enjoy a safe    8     satisfying watching experience. It’s not easy    9     (balance)well while performing the dance of a fierce lion so     10     (active) on poles. That’s why compared with the traditional one, the high-pole lion dance is more challenging and dangerous.