The sixth Yangtze River Drama Festival concluded on Nov 11 at the Poly Theater in Zhangjiagang, Jiangsu province.

The 11-day event staged a string of operas rooted in Yangtze River areas, including the Wuxi opera Yang's Grain Mill, Hunan opera Tan Sitong, and Guizhou lantern opera Yan Yinliang and the Summer Palace. The operas all showcased the diversity of Yangtze River operas.

The closing ceremony highlighted the performance of the Wuxi opera The Grass Root Emperor, which came from a well-known traditional Chinese story about a stolen crown prince's attempt to reclaim the throne.

The play won praise from some audience members born in the 1990s with its new element of popular online words.

Yang Fang, head of Zhangjiagang's publicity department, said at the closing ceremony that the biennial drama festival has promoted drama art and culture in Zhangjiagang. The city will continue efforts in cultural development and integration in Yangtze River areas.