Declarer:Shandong Province
Shandong Dagu, which has a history of more than 350 years, is the earliest form of song accompanied by drums in northern China. Shandong Dagu, which began in the lateMing Dynasty(1368-1644), originated in the suburban area of northwestern Shandong.

Before the lateQing Dynasty(1644-1911), Shandong Dagu was very common in rural areas and the number of female singers greatly increased. After the 1930s, Shandong Dagu spread and became popular inXuzhou,Nanjing,Shanghai, and other cities in northeast China.
There are various traditional Shangdong Dagu programs. Most of the short texts are about San Guo; and there are the Dream of the Red Chamber and Shui Hu arias. There are more than two hundred arias, including dramas, plays and folklore, borrowed from Zi Di Shu. Many new programs were composed and performed after the founding of the P. R. C.

Shandong Dagu has a long history, unique tunes and distinct regional features. It contains very important historical and cultural values and has had great influence on other forms of art. Shandong Dagu, which began to decline in the late 20th Century, needs support and protection.