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Beijing qinshu is a qu category of dagu that evolved in Beijing and is popular in Tianjin and Hebei Province.
Around the 1940s, Zhai Qingshan, an artist of Tongxian County who was versed in Leting dagu, introduced the dulcimer (sound board and wires stretched across bridges) to accompany Bejjing qinshu. Later the sihu was added. After the 1950s it became known as Beiing qinshu.
Beijing qinshu emphasizes a conversational style of singing, simple in tune and rhythm, with greater variations in clapping, which is a medium to tell stories in a vivid manner.
Guan Xuezeng, born in Beijing in 1922, studied dagu since childhood and emerged as a famous qinshu artist. He has a sonorous, sweet, and loud voice. He sings as well as he narrates, and can go from singing to narrating in a natural manner His words are clearly articulated. Guan Xuezeng is a good actor, and couches his story in conversational language popular with people.
