Shuohua(a way of storytelling) is a feat prevalent in the Tang (618-907) and Song (960-1279) dynasties. The art ofShuohuagradually matured and its contents and performing styles became more diversified in the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279). As a result, four categories ofShuohuacame into being.
The four categories ofShuohuaareXiaoshuo(small talks),Shuojing(sermon),Jiangshi(history telling) andHesheng(telling contemporary stories).Xiaoshuomainly involves short stories and performers usually tell one story as a whole or in several parts. Its subject matters mainly come from the contemporary social life and are closely related to the reality except for some history stories and fairy tales.Shuojingmainly involves sutra stories and stories of different persons, and they also include some subjects related to Buddhism and Taoism. Performers ofJiangshi(also called history tellers) usually tell stories about history records and documents, shifts of dynasties, wars and so on.Heshengmainly refers to contemporary stories. Length ofHeshengis relatively short and the performers usually tell one story each time.
The recorded texts ofShuohuaare calledHuaben, some of which are compiled by storytellers themselves and others by persons specially assigned by associations of storytellers. With the development ofShuohuaskills and increasing demand for cultural entertainment of the masses in cities,Huabengradually evolved into written popular literature.
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