The first night in Suzhou, the five of us went to the Pinfang Tea House in the well-known Guanqian Street, which is said to be the best place to enjoy the Pingtan performances in Suzhou. Pingtan, Ballad singing and Kunqu are eulogized as the three flowers of Suzhou's folk arts. Pingtan is a kind of story-telling art in Wu dialect. It includes two types: Suzhou Pinghua and Suzhou Tanci. The history of Pingtan can be dated all the way back to the Tang and Song dynasties. It was transformed to the present form during the late Ming Dynasty and early Qing Dynasty. In the first half of this century, Pingtan was popular in the rural areas of Jiangnan or South of Yangtze River.In its most popular form, a pair of performers, usually a man and a woman, sing and tell serial stories, often about romances between gifted scholars and beautiful, cultivated young women. Folk musical instruments such as the pipa(lute) and sanxian (banjo) are played by the storytellers.
The Pinfang Tea House is exquisitely designed, with an elegant atmosphere. Hanging on the back wall of the stage is a plaque with the characters Pinfang , meaning tasting the flavor. There is also a large fan with Chinese calligraphy and bamboo paintings on it. The two instruments,the pipa and the sanxian are places on the table.