There's a Chinese saying: "One minute on stage takes 10 years of practice off stage." At Gaoping Secondary Vocational School in Jincheng City, Shanxi Province, the students learning Shangdang Bangzi, or Shangdang wooden clapper opera, embody this saying every day. Somersaults, rolls, cartwheels, leaps and spins... despite the rigors of their daily routine, it is their passion for this traditional art that drives these young performers to practice with dedication and perseverance. It is precisely due to the commitment of generations of opera performers that this cultural treasure continues to be passed down and flourish.

Shangdang Bangzi is the most prominent local traditional opera form in Jincheng and one of the four major wooden clapper operas in Shanxi. With a history of over 400 years, this art form was listed as a national intangible cultural heritage in 2006.