Guangyu Storytelling House

Guangyu Storytelling House

Suzhou is truly an elegant place. The local opera genre—Pingtan—is honored with the beautiful title of “storytelling.” The performers are called “storytelling masters,” the performance venues are known as “storytelling houses,” and the audience are referred to as “story listeners.” These names full of literary charm bring with them moving performances rich in scholarly elegance.

Its fate is vastly different from that of Kunqu Opera, which has seen rises and falls. At 200 years old, Pingtan is an enduring marvel, largely due to its accessibility. Originating and popular in Suzhou as well as the Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai areas, it is performed in the Suzhou dialect, using a context familiar to the public. The performers sing while playing instruments themselves, and the format is lively and delightful, making it a beloved pastime for the people of old Suzhou.

In the past, teahouses and storytelling houses were like twins—where there was a teahouse, there was usually a storytelling house. The teahouse would open in the morning, and the storytelling house in the afternoon, bustling with activity. Suzhou people loved listening to storytelling just as much as people in Shaoxing loved drinking yellow wine, or those in Shanghai loved strolling the streets. The scene was extraordinarily lively.

Today, although Pingtan may not be as widely adored as pop songs, it still has a large following of devoted fans in Suzhou, and some uniquely charming storytelling houses remain. Visiting one is like stepping into real daily life, experiencing the heartfelt lives of ordinary people.

Address: No. 8, First Day Gate, Guanqian (north of Kai Ming Grand Theatre at the southeast corner of Little Park Square)