The Zhejiang Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism recently granted the title of "Home of Zhejiang's Traditional Operas" to seven counties (including county-level cities and districts) and eight villages and townships (including township-level sub-districts) in an effort to promote the development of the province's traditional operas.

The same titles were awarded by the department to 12 Zhejiang localities last October.

The seven new county-level recipients of the honor are Chun'an county, Xiangshan county, Yueqing city, Shaoxing's Keqiao district, Xinchang county, Pujiang county, and Wenling city.

Chun'an, Xinchang, and Pujiang have been named the "Home of Muju Opera", "Home of Diaoqiang Opera", and "Home of Wuju Opera" respectively. Xiangshan, Yueqing, Keqiao, and Wenling were all named the "Home of Yueju Opera".

A Yueju Opera is staged in Xiangshan county, Zhejiang province. [Photo/zjol.com.cn]

The eight new village- and township-level recipients of the honor are Pingyao town in Hangzhou's Yuhang district, Luotuo subdistrict in Ningbo's Zhenhai district, Zhili town in Huzhou's Wuxing district, Tangxian town in Yongkang city, Yuyan town in Songyang county, Yingchuan town in Jingning county, Zhenyuan village in Jiande's Datong town, and Yancun village in Quzhou's Hangbu town.

Pingyao, Luotuo, and Zhili have been named the "Home of Yueju Opera". Zhenyuan and Yancun villages were named the "Home of Wuju Opera". Tangxian, Yuyan, and Yingchuan towns were respectively named "Home of Xinggan Opera", "Home of Songyang Gaoqiang Opera", and "Home of Gumin and Puppet Operas".

A Wuju Opera is staged in Pujiang county, Zhejiang province. [Photo/zjol.com.cn]

A Xinggan Opera is staged in Tangxian town, Yongkang city, Zhejiang province. [Photo/zjol.com.cn]