Henan Yu Opera in China

ZHENGZHOU, CHINA - OCTOBER 30: Chinese Yu Opera performers prepares backstage on October 30, 2012 in Zhengzhou, China. As many as 60 performers from the Sanmenxia theatrical troupe are invited to perform Chinese traditional Yu Opera for local villagers in rural Zhengzhou city to celebrate the village's temple fair and earn 10,000 RMB yuan (US$ 1,600) each performance. Yu Opera, also called Henan Bangzi or Ou Opera, is one of the most popular local operas in China. Its earliest written record can be traced back more than 200 years and at the end of the Qing Dynasty (A.D. 1644-1911), the opera became widespread across the Henan province. After the establishment of the People's Republic of China in 1949, it experienced rapid growth not only in the villages and cities of Henan Province but also throughout the country. In recent years its popularity has declined due to young people's attraction to more modern cultures. (Photo by Hong Wu/Getty Images)