摘要
As a child growing up in Suzhou,East China's Jiangsu Province,Wu Jing loved to go to teahouses with her parents and grandparents to watch pingtan performances.Pingtan originated in Suzhou during the Song Dynasty.It usually involves just two performers-one male and one female,who play traditional musical instruments,sanxian(a three⁃stringed plucked instrument)and pipa(a four⁃stringed lute),while singing ballads and telling stories of ancient heroes,tragic lovers and other classic Chinese folk tales in the Suzhou dialect at teahouses or small theaters.
