Which province did Anqing immigrate from?

Huangmei Opera originated in Huangmei, Hubei or Anqing, Anhui. In fact, there is nothing to argue about, because officials have long argued that it originated in Huangmei, Hubei Province and grew up in Anqing, Anhui Province.

Huangmei Opera is one of the five major operas in China and the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage. At that time, when the intangible cultural heritage was declared, Hubei Huangmei and Anhui Anqing jointly declared. Before the declaration, Huangmei was identified as the origin and Anqing as the development area.

This conclusion has also been verified. According to records, the earliest prototype of Huangmei Opera can be traced back to the tea-picking songs of Huangmei in Hubei Province in the Tang Dynasty. By the Ming and Qing Dynasties, this kind of tea-picking songs and tea-picking songs had developed, especially in Yinshan Mountain and Taibai Lake in Huangmei County, also known as Huangmei Opera.

Huangmei is located in the low-lying area on the north bank of the Yangtze River. It was often flooded in the Qing Dynasty, and people there went out to beg from time to time. Huangmei opera became their begging craft. When they went to various places to sing operas and beg for food, Huangmei Opera also spread to neighboring Anhui, Jiangsu, Jiangxi and other places.

In Susong County Records of susong county, Anhui Province near Huangmei County, there is also a record that Huangmei Opera was introduced to Anhui: "The city is in the southwest, bordering on Huangmei, and the plum custom is good at performing tea-picking operas, also known as Huangmei Opera."

According to the research on the development of Huangmei Opera by China Opera Network, Huangmei Opera has experienced four historical stages from its origin to its development: one-man show, three plays, three hits and seven sings, and orchestral accompaniment. The first three stages were completed in Huangmei, Hubei, and the fourth stage was completed in some areas in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, especially in Anqing, Anhui.

It is not unreasonable to say that Anqing played an important role in the development and promotion of Huangmei Opera. Anhui Huangmei Opera Troupe established after the founding of the People's Republic of China and some local professional troupes in Anqing contributed to the spread of Huangmei Opera. Like many classic songs of Huangmei Opera now, such as "Fairy Couple" and "Female Xu", they created and performed them.

It is said that in 1958, after Mao Zedong, Liu Shaoqi, Zhou Enlai, Zhu De and other party and state leaders saw Huangmei Opera once, Chairman Mao asked, "How did your Huangmei Opera in Hubei go to Anhui?" After Bai Mei, then deputy secretary-general of Hubei Provincial Party Committee, reported the relevant situation to Chairman Mao, Chairman Mao suddenly realized: "It turns out that your Huangmei Opera was rushed to Anhui by the flood!"