Yao Opera is one of local operas of Tanhuang that belongs to Wu linguistic system with its forebody being “Yuyao Tanhuang”. Independent of the local folk dances such as “Dance of Wheelbarrow Lantern”, “Tea Plucking Basket” and “Land Boat” as well as “Quedongdong”, Yao Opera appeared and prevailed in Yuyao, Zhedong and it took shape in the mid-seventeenth century, having a history of over 250 years. Because it was sung in the dialect of Yuyao, it was called “Yuyao Tanhuang” which could be short for “Yaotan” and it was also called the “Opera of Parrot Singing”. As early as in the reign of Qianlong in Qing Dynasty, “Yaotan” had prevailed in many towns like Yuyao, Shangyu, etc. It was usually performed around the “Lantern Festival”, so it was called the “Lantern Opera” or “Lantern Squad”. Later on, “Yaotan” successively expanded outward till Shanghai. The actors of “Yaotan” had once cooperated with their counterparts of “Mini-song Squad” on the stage of “Huaxing Garden”. The artists of “Yaotan”, such as Ma Nanben and Zhou Lanying, had performed in “Yongle Garden”, “Gaosheng Building”, “Ruyi Building” and they were very popular with the non-native audiences coming from Ningbo and Shaoxing. The opera “Selling the Candies” performed by Xiaoshanbao and Daguixiang had been recorded disc by Gaoting Corp. The scale of “Yaotan” band was usually comprised of “Four painted-face roles”(or Xiaosheng), “Four Female Roles”, “Three Back Fields” and “One Inner Compartment”, in which there were about twelve people. The opera being performed was mainly in the patterns of a painted-face role (or a Xiaosheng) and a female role or several characters together on the stage, such as “Selling the Straw Pile”, “Beating the Window Building”, “Ten Prohibitions”, “Hair Falling Off Before and After” and “Playing with the Lanterns”, which were traditional operas called “Seventy-two Books”. The music for voice in the opera “Yaotan” features the light, fluent rhythm and it was a typical folk opera. The melody of this kind of opera mainly adhered to the “Basic Melody” and was supported by various “chansons”, and the libretto and monologue were quite easy to understand. It was very popular with the common people for its rich folk vocabulary, modest and natural style, humorous performance and strong living atmosphere. In June of 1956, “Yaotan” was renamed “Yao Opera” and in September of the same year, Yuyao Yao Opera Troupe (so far, it has been the only troupe that performs such opera) was established by sanction of Zhejiang Culture Bureau. Yao Opera Troupe made its name in Zhejiang by putting up the original operas, such as “the Mid-night Crow”, “Building and Tearing Down the Wall”, “Bandit and Nun”, “Tears in the Battlefield”, “Chuansun Building”, “Iron Dragon Head Coming Back”, “Flirtatious Expression in Jigong Hill” and “Daughter Growing Up while Peachblossoms Coming Out”, etc. These operas have gained many awards at the National Investigation Performance, “Five-one Project” of Chinese Ministry of Publicity, several Opera Festivals in Zhejiang and “Five-one Project” in the province. In 2004, they achieved good evaluation when putting up performances in Hong Kong. At present, there are 10 high class professional artists and they are Shen Shouliang, who is a famous Yao Opera artist and also the National Top Class Actor, Shou Jianli, Zhang Jinhai, who is the National Top Class Playwright, Xu Yuhong, who is the National Top Class Director, Zhang Qianmiao, who is the National Second Class Composer, Wang Yuhong and Ke Dongqin, who are the National Second Class Actors, Weng Xiaofen, Ni Yuehui and Wan Minghua who are the National Second Class Music Performers, and a group of outstanding young and mid-aged actors such as Xu Dasheng, Chen Jianfeng, Shen Zhongliang, Lou Lihui, Duan Huaqun, Huang Liming, Huang Fei and Jing Jiefeng, etc. In August 1998, the systematic reform of literature parties was implemented in Yuyao, and Yuyao Art Theater was  founded with the original Yao Opera Troupe being a performance band affiliated to it (It is still called Yao Opera Troupe to the outside). Under the healthy operation of the new system, the art career of Yao Opera is progressing and developing towards better and higher goals.