As evening falls over central Guizhou province, the rural landscape of Anshun city transforms as villagers gather to perform the traditional Anshun Dixi Opera. In the settlement of Wujiatun, located within Zhangzhuang village, farmers, construction workers, security guards, forklift operators, and small business owners come together after their daily duties to rehearse and stage this centuries-old folk drama.

Under the open sky, the harvested rapeseed fields serve as natural stages where the sound of gongs and drums resonates across the countryside. These community members dedicate their evenings to practicing choreography, fight sequences, and memorizing the opera’s traditional lyrics in the village entrance square. Their efforts reflect a shared commitment to preserving and promoting a vital aspect of their local cultural heritage.

Anshun Dixi Opera, widely regarded as a distinctive theatrical form of southwestern China, is celebrated for its bold and primitive performance style. Rooted in the Anshun region of Guizhou province, it has been recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage since 2006. Often described as a "living fossil" of Chinese theater, the opera represents a crucial link to the area's historical and artistic traditions.

Despite their varied daytime occupations, the villagers collectively maintain this vibrant living tradition, performing alongside streams, on village paths, and in open fields. Their dedication ensures that the cultural legacy of Anshun Dixi Opera continues to thrive within the community, bridging past and present through daily practice and evening performances.