[3] Wenzhou was the birthplace of nanxi, a Chinese opera form of the 12th century.

The earliest form of Ou opera, however, emerged only after the end of the Ming dynasty in the 17th century, when the singing styles of gaoqiang (高腔) and kunqiang gained popularity in southern Zhejiang.

[1] The luantan style arrived later and was co-opted by locals in their performances along with gaoqiang and kunqiang.

In the beginning, performances took place on temple stages only during special occasions such as the one-month Nuo religious festival, temple fairs, dragon boat racing in Ou River, weddings, harvests, or other celebrations.

As demand increased throughout the region, several farmer-performers in Yongjia County became full-time performers.