Fuzhou storytelling, which is performed in the Fuzhou dialect, is very popular in Fuzhou, Minhou, and other regions of Fujian Province. It was formed in the late Ming Dynasty(1368-1644) and the early Qing Dynasty(1644-1911).

There are various kinds of Fuzhou storytelling. The long texts are all historical stories, such as San Guo and Sui Tang. The short ones are swordsmen stories; those concerning law are about righteous government officials working for civilians and fighting against unjust charges, while family-themed stories are about ethics and daily business.

Fuzhou storytelling is historically and culturally important because of its accompanyingmusical instruments, methods of expression and traditional themes. It has been called a living fossil of ancient Chinese music. It needs support and protection to prevent it from dying out.

Source: chinaculture.org