branch of Xiang opera is popular in Lianyuan area of Loudi City, Hunan Province, and is known as Xiang opera with "Lianyuan characteristics". Lianyuan Xiang opera is mainly spread in Louxing District, Shuangfeng, Lianyuan, Lengshuijiang, Xinhua of Loudi City, Xinshao of Shaoyang City and neighboring counties and cities such as Anhua of Yiyang City, Xiangxiang of Xiangtan City, and Ningxiang of Changsha City. In 2008, Lianyuan Xiang opera was identified as the second batch of intangible cultural heritage list items of Hunan Province. According to relevant documents, in the third year of Kangxi in the Qing Dynasty (1664), Xiang opera troupes performed in places such as Shenwang Temple, Guandi Temple, Shuifu Temple, ancestral halls, and festive gatherings of wealthy families in Lianyuan and central Hunan. During the Jiaqing and Daoguang years, Liao Guangtai, Qiu Taishan and others from the Liao family of Chetian in Chang'an Township, Anhua (now Qiaotouhe, Lianyuan) formed the Xiang opera troupe "National Day Class" to perform in Qiaotouhe, Lantian, Loudi, Yangjiatan and other places, and also taught art and trained apprentices, so that the troupe continued to develop. In the sixth year of Emperor Daoguang's reign (1826), the Governor-General of Liangjiang, Tao Shu, watched the performance of Liao Guangtai of the "National Day Troupe" at Tianfu Temple. After watching the performance, he personally inscribed a plaque with the four characters "Singing High into the Clouds". During the Tongzhi and Guangxu years, the number of troupes increased to more than ten, and the more famous ones at that time were "Xianghua Troupe" and "Qinghua Troupe". During the Republic of China, there were troupes such as "Chunhe", "Chuntai", "Qingsheng" and "Chuhua". The performances continued until the 35th year of the Republic of China (1946). The performance areas also expanded to Ningxiang, Xiangxiang, Anhua, Shaoyang, Yiyang and other places. In the more than 300 years of inheritance of Xiang opera art in Lianyuan, a large number of skilled old artists have emerged, such as Liao Guangtai (painted face), Jiang Yonglan (dan), Li Guilin (clown), Li Baomin (kaoba), Zhang Xiaolou (sheng), Jin Zhusheng (drummer and actor), Qiu Taishan, Wu Shisheng, He Guifu, Li Qinghui, Tong Xiaoyang, Wu Futian, Liang Yonglian, etc., which have been passed down from generation to generation, constantly improved and developed. Lianyuan characteristic Xiang opera is a comprehensive art, which includes literary scripts, directing performance art, singing music, instrumental performance and costumes, props, lighting, sound, character facial makeup, and stage art. The actors, performers and stage staff cooperate with each other and work together to reflect the whole story through the form of stage performance. Among them, the actor's skills (singing, acting, reciting, and fighting) are the core part. There was a saying that "one minute on stage, ten years of hard work off stage". It inherits the four major voices of traditional Xiang opera, but incorporates the charm and tunes of Meishan folk songs in the creation process, making it more full of the life atmosphere of the central Hunan area. Most of the Lianyuan Xiang Opera plays praise justice, promote righteousness, and criticize the current situation; the stories are full of ups and downs, and the performances are unique; the lines are elegant, rigorous, humorous, implicit and meaningful. After the singing style incorporates the music elements of Meishan folk songs, the singing becomes more high-pitched, clear and pleasant to the ears. In particular, in the creation of new plays, local themes are mainly used to praise advanced figures of the times, which can not only give the audience positive education, but also give them artistic enjoyment, which can be said to kill two birds with one stone. The accompanying instruments of Lianyuan Xiang Opera include big drums, hall drums, bang drums, big gongs, small gongs, big cymbals, small cymbals, Jinghu, Gaohu, electronic keyboards, pipa, yangqin, large and small suonas, flutes, erhu, etc. There are also various costumes, robes, boots and hats, as well as various props required in the play, stage lighting and sound, and mobile performance vehicles. Lianyuan Xiang Opera has a long history. This artistic wonder has been active in central Hunan and its surrounding areas for hundreds of years. From the Qing Dynasty to the Republic of China, and until the early days of the founding of New China, it was the only spiritual food for the people in this region, and its influence was extremely far-reaching. In 2008, Lianyuan Xiang Opera was identified as the second batch of intangible cultural heritage list items in Hunan Province. Lianyuan Xiang Opera Theater is the main body of the protection of this project.