China's cultural authorities have released a comprehensive three-year action plan aimed at revitalizing the country's traditional dramatic arts and boosting their appeal among younger audiences.

In recent years, traditional arts have faced fierce competition from digital entertainment, forcing a rethink of how to engage viewers.

To address this modern dilemma, the Three-Year Action Plan for the Revitalization of Drama (2026-28) was released in February by the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles.

The plan sets forth 24 measures across seven areas, including improving the development and training of theater troupes and their repertoires, cultivating new artists and better engaging the public.

To ensure these art forms remain relevant, theater professionals have emphasized the need for works that resonate with contemporary audiences and the importance of cultivating new viewers through educational institutions. They've also highlighted embracing technological innovation to expand artistic expression and create a sustainable ecosystem for the dramatic arts.

According to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, among China's 348 traditional opera types, roughly one-third are considered rare. Some exist in only a single troupe nationwide.

"Theater troupes across all levels are tasked with identifying enduring works, organizing research and promoting performances, with an emphasis on standardizing the transmission of key classics," the plan said.

Authorities are also focusing on rescuing and revitalizing precious historical materials.

"Cultural, tourism and publicity departments are coordinating with theater groups, research institutes, museums and libraries to collect, study, publish and exhibit traditional scripts, scores and archives," the plan said, noting that special attention is being given to preserving the audiovisual recordings of veteran performers, and oral histories of notable artists.

Local governments are encouraged to enact regulations to support the protection and development of regional opera forms. Experts say these measures aim to ensure China's opera heritage is systematically preserved and dynamically transmitted to future generations.

Liu Tong, director of the Chinese opera expert committee of the China Education Federation of the Arts, highlighted the plan's emphasis on "tailoring strategies to local conditions and specific troupes".

"Drama troupes across the country vary greatly — some are well-resourced, others face dual pressures of limited funding and talent shortages. Rare genres are particularly vulnerable; if key performers leave, the art itself may disappear," he said.

Liu said the plan's proposals, including a genre preservation program, a classical repertoire library and targeted support, respond directly to these realities, noting that troupe management requires more than funding.

"Effective governance must balance artistic principles, repertoire planning, market engagement and talent continuity," he said.

Shang Wenbo, director of the Taizhou Luantan opera troupe, has firsthand experience of pulling a dying art form back from the brink.

The group, a representative of national intangible cultural heritage, was dormant for nearly 30 years and faced significant hurdles, including the loss of performers, shrinking audiences and market decline.

Taizhou Luantan is a regional form of Chinese traditional opera originating from Zhejiang province. Featuring a flexible, improvisational style that blends local folk songs, dialect and storytelling, its themes are drawn from everyday life and local history.

"Our survival isn't luck, but is about finding a path that works for us," Shang said.

Under a hybrid public-private model, the troupe modernized its operations and implemented targeted talent development, producing a steady stream of original works. As a result, young actors gained practical experience, and the productions reached national stages and gained commercial success.

"The plan's support for grassroots troupes and reform is both encouragement and guidance," Shang added.

A major priority of the plan is the systematic training of young theater talent. This includes multitiered programs targeting primary schools, secondary schools and higher education institutions, combining academic instruction with hands-on performance experience.

According to Liu, China's traditional opera education system is facing a talent shortage, with only 1,670 students currently enrolled in vocational opera programs nationwide, which is far below industry demand.

He emphasized that the key lies in increasing student participation, calling for optimized enrollment policies. Measures should include tuition reductions, living allowances and other incentives to attract young people, particularly to smaller, less-known opera genres.

Liu said that deepening cooperation between opera schools and primary and secondary schools is of critical importance, as it creates a pipeline from early interest to professional training.

Wang Rongrong, a veteran Peking Opera actress with the Jingju Theatre Company of Beijing, highlighted the plan's emphasis on "master-apprentice" relationships, which allow young actors to inherit both technical skills and interpretative wisdom from veteran performers. She noted that these relationships are particularly critical for rare genres.

Peking Opera, or jingju in Chinese, dates back more than 200 years and was recognized as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2010. It brings together the art forms of singing, dancing, martial arts and acrobatics.

The plan also encourages cross-troupe exchanges, summer academies and intensive workshops, providing young actors with exposure to a variety of genres and performance techniques. Digital platforms are set to complement these efforts, with online master classes, artificial intelligence-assisted rehearsal tools, and virtual performance spaces to allow students to learn even when geographic constraints or limited local resources exist.

Recognizing that private theater troupes face persistent challenges, such as shortages of scripts and limited access to high-quality original works, the China Theatre Association launched the "One-Yuan Seed Plan" on Feb 24.

The initiative, which is also highlighted in the plan, aims to leverage the association's professional and resource advantages by inviting renowned playwrights to submit works suitable for private troupes. In a symbolic gesture, the performance rights are transferred for a nominal 1-yuan (15 cents) copyright fee, helping local and county-level private troupes gain access to tested and acclaimed works.

Chen Yongquan, vice-chairman of the association, said that the plan will authorize and publish 100 works in stages. The first batch includes 20 plays, spanning contemporary, historical and folk themes, all recognized for their quality and audience appeal.

So far, 35 private troupes have expressed interest, showing enthusiasm for performing classic and popular works. Chen noted that thriving private troupes are vital to cultural development and the broader arts ecosystem.

"They strengthen the foundation of Chinese drama, promote public engagement with traditional culture, and expand access to high-quality cultural services," he said.

Drama's long-term revival depends on the quality of productions, according to the plan, and as such it prioritizes improving repertoire quality through script evaluation, guided creative processes and funding incentives.

"A new initiative aims to improve the script review system. Productions must start with strong, well-vetted scripts. Script evaluation will become a prerequisite for staging plays. A national platform will be built to collect and promote outstanding scripts. This platform will connect playwrights with theater troupes," the plan said.

The plan also emphasizes the role of digital innovation and modern media in expanding the reach of dramatic arts. Traditional outlets such as radio, television, and film will be utilized to promote theater, with provincial TV stations encouraged to launch dedicated opera programs. Concurrently, technology is playing a larger role in audience development. Theater troupes are being supported in using the internet and artificial intelligence to reach broader demographics, while online performances and livestreams will be standardized to ensure quality and industry impact.

Feng Yuanzheng, president of the Beijing People's Art Theatre, and also a veteran actor and director, said: "Content is always the top priority. Only compelling works that combine artistic excellence with contemporary relevance can attract and retain audiences.

"I experimented with AI-generated scripts, and while the results were technically excellent, they lacked soul. Original scripts carry the emotions, quirks and personality of the author — something no machine can replicate," he said. "Scripts written by humans breathe life into stories. The precision of AI cannot replace the lived experience and emotional depth that make characters resonate with audiences."

To cultivate future audiences, the plan calls for strengthening general theater education in schools. Programs that bring performing arts to campuses will be expanded to offer students diverse ways to watch, participate, and engage. Additionally, schools with sufficient resources are encouraged to establish drama clubs to nurture young talent and future theatergoers.

Industry professionals emphasize that making productions accessible to younger viewers is critical. Kunqu Opera performer Ke Jun highlighted the success of youth-focused productions — such as a teen version of The Peony Pavilion — which attracted hundreds of thousands of young viewers. By utilizing online streaming as a "second stage", troupes can reach distant audiences and foster a new cycle of engagement.

To lower barriers and integrate traditional arts into everyday life, Shanghai Yue Opera House director Xu Biaoxin called for utilizing accessible digital formats. These include short videos, livestreams, behind-the-scenes content and performer personal branding, ensuring that classical performing arts remain relevant to modern, younger audiences.

chennan@chinadaily.com.cn