Two companies perform Tang-style banquets and musicals to entertain visitors. The competition for the group-tour dollar is fierce.
Chinese Shadows-- Piying was the staple entertainment of rural Shanxi before karaoke. Puppets are carved from leather and dyed dazzling colors -- many date from the Qing dynasty (1644-1911). There are over 600 different plays, ranging from legends to love stories to kung-fu epics. Unlike opera, this is loud, irreverent entertainment for the masses. This art will probably die out in Shanxi; its main exponent is a septuagenarian, and his only student is a few years younger. It takes 10 years to learn the craft, and for most, driving a taxi is a more appealing option. For now, the puppet troupe (Shanxi Hu Xian Piying Yishutuan) also performs at Dongfang Dajiudian