From Sept 20-24, the 2024 International Humor Art Festival is being held in Zhangjiagang, a county-level city of Suzhou, Jiangsu province, offering a joy-filled cultural feast.
The event features artists from around the world, including Japan, the US, France, and Poland, who are presenting comedic performances such as creative shows, humorous classical music, and Manzai. Chinese artists will also perform various forms of traditional Chinese language arts, including xiangsheng (a traditional Chinese crosstalk comedy), kuaiban (a traditional Chinese talk show with rhythmic bamboo clappers), and Suzhou Pingtan.
Chinese and international artists collaborate to perform xiangsheng at a previous International Humor Art Festival. [Photo/WeChat account: zjgwtgl]
The International Humor Art Festival, jointly organized by the Chinese Ballad Singers Association and local governments, is a global event for comedic art performances and exchanges. Since its inception in 2006, the festival has been held seven times, enhancing cultural exchange between China and the world and promoting Chinese traditional culture. Since 2015, Zhangjiagang has been the permanent home of the festival.