Maoqiang opera is a local folk opera style from the Jiaozhou area of the Shandong Peninsula (Jiaodong Peninsula) in eastern China. It has been listed as a national-level intangible cultural heritage item since 2006.
Maoqiang opera has a history of about 200 years and has incorporated local folk songs and dances from the region.[1] Musical instruments used include drum, cymbal, gong, jinghu, suona, flute, and sheng.[1] The main roles are shared with Peking opera: sheng (生, main male roles), dan (旦, female roles), and chou (丑, male clown).[1] There more than 140 Maoqiang plays including "Dongjing", "Xijing", "Nanjing", "Beijing", and "Luoshanji" and the opera is particularly popular in the cities of Qingdao, Yantai, Rizhao, Weifang, and Gaomi.[1]
The novel "Sandalwood Death" by Chinese writer Mo Yan is written in the style of the Maoqiang opera.[2]