The Ningbo Culture Plaza Grand Theater sees a full house at the opening performance on Oct 10. CHINA DAILY

The transformation and development of lianhualao is acknowledged by Liu Lanfang, a veteran performer of pingshu, another traditional Chinese form of storytelling.

This year marked the third time Liu has attended the National Quyi Week. She says she feels encouraged and empowered each time.

"Performances are the only way to examine the amount of work quyi artists have done in the past year," she says.

"We can see how many talents artists have cultivated every year, and more people can learn about these quyi genres. More importantly, students can become motivated to continue learning.

"These performances can also attract more audiences. Inheriting intangible culture is a strategy. And developing and promoting the arts is the ultimate goal."

Contact the writer at chengyuezhu@chinadaily.com.cn