Xiaoyi

Xiaoyi is a county-level city under the administration of Lüliang City in west Shanxi Province. Xiaoyi’s long history is on display in its magnificent temples and ancient pavilions. Xiaoyi-style shadow puppets are one of China’s rare and precious traditional folk arts and have been entered onto the National Intangible Cultural Heritage List. Xiaoyi theater is usually accompanied by a kind of musical instrument called the suona, one of the most ancient kinds of musical sounds to be used in Chinese sung theater. The suona has been especially valuable for researching the historical development of the kinds of musical sounds used in Chinese opera. Some famous sights include the Zhongyang Building, Jade Spring Mountain, and Sanhuang Temple.