Guizhou folk lantern songs and dances, a long history, roughly originated in the Tang and Song dynasties, popular in the Ming Dynasty, the Qing Dynasty, Xujiaba, Wenjiadian, Dahuba, Dabafang, Tangtou and other lanterns were prevalent.
Initially, it was a "two-man show", in which the dance movements such as "Door Doo Turn", "Eagle Spreads its Wings", "Fish Playing in the Water", "Planting Ceremonies on the Knees", and "Su Qin Takes the Sword" were very representative, and the songs and dances were very touching.
The late Ming and early Qing dynasties developed to three people, or a man and two women, called "double phoenix sunrise" or "two men and a woman" called "double lion play ball. There are also places where two men and two women called "double lanterns". Danjiao also known as the youngest sister, men dressed as women, tied fake hair braids, wrapped in a turban, wearing a flower skirt, the right hand holding a silk flower folding fan, the left hand holding a colorful scarf. Clown, also known as Gan, wearing a leather jacket, belt, melon skin hat on the head, right hand holding a large fan. Dry brother around the youngest sister around, each other rotating singing and dancing, dry brother dance moves colorful, humorous and ridiculous.
According to the Qing Kangxi to Daoguang years of local records, Fuquan, Zunyi, Kaiyang and other places at that time, there have been lanterns singing and dancing popular, every on the New Year's Day, tie all kinds of paper lanterns, made by the children for the time of the new make-up, step song and music, known as the "Lantern Festival", or the male make-up of the Tang two, female make-up lazy sister-in-law, holding towels, fans, double dance, known as the "jumping lanterns", "the jumping lanterns". In 1915, "瓮安县志-风俗篇" contained "ask for miscellaneous plays", indicating that by this time there had been lantern plays. Guizhou lantern plays in the province have different names: Qianbei, Qianxi area called "lamp folder play"; Dushan area called "table lamp"; Sinan, Yinjiang and other places called "high stage play" or "Lantern Opera".
Guizhou lantern play "Xiang Luopa" during the Qing Dynasty, lanterns from the original indoor performances into the courtyard and dam with a short stage performances, called the short stage play.
In the 18th year of the Qing Dynasty, Luo Fanglin, a native of Sinan, returned to his hometown from Yunnan, built a formal stage in his hometown of Luojiaba, and moved the Tujia Short Stage Theater to a high stage. Gao Tai Opera thus got its name. Formation of a strong ethnic characteristics of the Gaotai opera, immediately shocked the county, and even across the county line, the folk, regardless of red and white celebrations, New Year's festivals, are scrambling to invite the troupe out of the play.
Towards the end of the Qing Dynasty, due to the influence of foreign theater culture, has developed into a lantern play - Gao Tai opera, which is a big leap in the history of lanterns.