Foshan is one of the four famous towns in ancient China, a national famous historical and cultural city, as well as the important birthplace of Cantonese opera.

Cantonese opera, honored as “Red Bean in South China” by Premier Zhou Enlai, is also known as Guangdong drama or Cantonese drama. As one of the two chief types of music in traditional Chinese operas, It belongs to "Pihuang" system.Cantonese opera is nourished and influenced by Kun, Yi, Han, Anhui, Qin, Hunan and other types of opera. Taking the advantages of all types, it forms its unique style, which not only connects with traditional Chinese culture but also has rich Lingnan culture characteristics.

As early as in Han Dynasty, the performing art of Foshan was extremely popular. There were opera performance record such as “Zaban Story” and “Acting on Lunar July 7th” in early Ming Dynasty. Built in middle Ming Dynasty, Foshan “Qionghua Guild Hall” is the earliest industrial organization for Cantonese opera. So far, there is still a saying like this “Jiqing is earlier than Bahe, while Qionghua is earlier than Jiqing”.

In early Qing Dynasty, the opera activities in Foshan were rather prosperous, as it constantly absorbed the rhyme of Guangdong Music and folk songs, and changed to sing it in Cantonese, which blended in Southern Wushu and used big gong, big drum, big flute and pipe to form a vivid, lively and novel style with popular language, unique tune and acrobatic fighting. It is a local opera popular among the masses and suits both refined and popular tastes. Cantonese opera troupe give touring performances by taking red boat as means of transport, therefore Cantonese opera artists are also called “red boat juniors”. It is recorded that, there were over 30 big or small stages in miles around Foshan Town. Most cultural celebrities in Cantonese opera are from Foshan.

After absorbing anything and everything for hundreds of years, Foshan Cantonese opera has become an opera type with most audience and most influence overseas, as well as an important part of world culture.