How a Hit TV Drama Sparked a Qinqiang Opera Renaissance in China
A television drama is doing what decades of preservation efforts could not: making one of China’s oldest opera forms a sensation among young audiences. The hit series “主角” (“The Protagonist”), which premiered on CCTV-1 on May 10, 2026, has ignited an extraordinary revival of Qinqiang (Shaanxi opera), a 2,000-year-old art form that had been struggling to connect with younger generations.
Adapted from Chen Yan’s Mao Dun Literature Prize-winning novel, the drama follows the life of Yi Qin’e, a Qinqiang actress from rural Shaanxi. Its realistic portrayal of the art form — from the grueling training to the electrifying performances — has resonated deeply with viewers. According to People’s Daily, the series achieved a CCTV prime-time viewership peak exceeding 4%, a Tencent Video heat value surpassing 30,000, and a Douban score of 8.1 out of 10.
The Drama That Changed Everything
“The Protagonist” broke records from its opening night, when ratings hit a 12-year high for CCTV dramas with a 2.3421% peak. China News Network reported that topics related to Qinqiang in the drama have accumulated over 100 million views across Douyin (TikTok China), Xiaohongshu, and Bilibili, with young users creating derivative content, analyzing Qinqiang performances, and imitating Shaanxi dialect.
“I used to think Qinqiang was an art form for the older generation — I couldn’t understand it and didn’t like watching it,” Li Zheng, a 25-year-old short video creator from Xi’an, told China News Network. “After watching ‘The Protagonist,’ my view completely changed. The actors’ singing contains all the flavors of life — it’s incredibly powerful.”
From Screen to Stage
The cultural phenomenon has translated into real-world impact. Xi’an theaters reported sold-out Qinqiang performances during the Dragon Boat Festival holiday, directly attributed to the drama’s influence. The Paper documented the surge in interest through a photo essay showing young Qinqiang trainees in Xi’an’s practice rooms, their hands calloused but faces full of determination.
Wang Jing, a 21-year-old Qinqiang actor with the Xi’an Performing Arts Youth Troupe, described the intense training regimen: “When training the ‘slow lying fish’ technique, our teacher often made us stand on one leg, our bodies suspended between standing and lying, completely still for twenty minutes. Sweat would drip down, and our legs would often cramp up.”
Why This Revival Is Different
Wang Xiaoyong, an expert at the Shaanxi Academy of Social Sciences, explained the mechanism behind the revival. “For a long time, the传承 of traditional opera and dialects has been trapped in a ‘circle固化’ dilemma — aging audiences and limited传播 scenarios,” he told China News Network. “‘The Protagonist’ uses film and television as a medium to transform abstract regional culture into relatable characters and stories, precisely reaching young audiences.”
This represents a significant shift. Previous preservation efforts, including Shaanxi province’s 25.5 million yuan annual investment in Qinqiang troupes and the 2021 Qinqiang Art Protection and Development Regulations, had limited success in attracting younger audiences. The drama succeeded where policy alone could not by embedding the art form within a compelling narrative.
A Template for Cultural Revival?
The Qinqiang renaissance raises an important question: Can this model be replicated for other regional Chinese opera forms like Kunqu, Yueju, or Sichuan opera? The mechanism seems clear — quality content that integrates traditional art authentically, amplified by social media and driven by genuine emotional connection.
Banyuetan commentator Sun Zhenghao wrote that “Qinqiang’s most important quality is its vitality and spontaneity — it completely presents the state of life’s cry.” This raw emotional power, channeled through modern storytelling, appears to be the key.
What’s Next
While the surge in interest is undeniable, questions remain about its sustainability. The drama concluded on Tencent Video on June 3, and whether the enthusiasm will outlast the series is uncertain. However, early signs are promising — the “Qinqiang in Schools” education program launched in Xi’an on June 5, and government subsidies continue to support grassroots troupes.
For now, one thing is clear: a 2,000-year-old art form has found a new voice through a television screen, and millions of young Chinese are listening.