New Discovery of Salutation from Zidishu

Zidishu,a kind of folk art,was famous and popular in Beijing between Qianlong and Guangxu periods in Qing dynasty. Its original name was Duan,or Duan’er,influenced by the performance of Tanci and Guci with a special form,in which only the most brilliant part was performed. At the beginning,Zidishu was only performed among family and friends. It spread from Beijing city to outer quickly because of its beautiful words and elegant melody. The word of zidi,refers to the youth people of banners who lacked employments and earning. It also refers to the people who don’t receive pay. The word of shu,which is opposite to hua,means that the art tells the story of famous novels and dramas.