rulers. Their satirical content strikes home at contemporary malpractices and also often includes political satire." The role of Xiangsheng in the social commentary was seen after the fall of the Gang of Four in 1976, when Xiangsheng performances provided the first open criticisms of the gang. After 1976, Xiangsheng has also satirized corrupt officials and members of the Communist Party of China, although criticism of the party as an entity remains off-limits. Xiangsheng classifications By number of actors Dankou Xiangsheng: a monologue by a solo performer Duikou Xiangsheng: a dialogue between two performers Qunkou Xiangsheng: a group act with at least three performers By content Ironic Xiangsheng: performers criticize themselves, others, or concepts, such as Hou Baolin's Walking in the dark (Chinese:夜行记) (criticizes people who do not follow the traffic rules), Jiang Kun and Li Wenhua's Photograph (criticizes the social phenomenon during the Cultural Revolution). Complimentary Xiangsheng: performers praise themselves, others, or concepts, such as Ma Ji's The New Peach Garden (praises socialism), Hou Yuewen's Story of Beijing–Kowloon railway (praises the constructor of Beijing–Kowloon railway) Entertaining Xiangsheng: performers aim to entertain, such as Speaking in tongues By chronology Tradition Xiangsheng: in the Late Qing Dynasty New Xiangsheng: after 1949 Contemporary Xiangsheng: after 1980 By genre Ma Sect Xiangsheng: the representative personage Ma Sanli, Ma Zhiming (Chinese: 马志明) Chang Sect Xiangsheng: the representative personage Chang Lianan, Chang Baokun (Chinese: 常宝堃) Hou Sect Xiangsheng: the representative personage Hou Baolin Liu Sect Xiangsheng: the representative personage Liu Baorui (Chinese: 刘宝瑞) Notable performers Zhang Sanlu () is considered to have been one of the fathers of Xiangsheng. Zhang was born in Beijing in the late Qing Dynasty. His disciples include Zhu Shaowen, A Yantao, and Shen Chunhe. A Yantao () better known by his stage name A Er (阿二) or A Cier (阿刺二), was a Xiangsheng performer of Manchu descent. His disciples include En Xu, Gao Wenkui, Chun Changlong, and Shen Zhushan. A Yaotao was born in Beijing to a rich family of the Sumuru clan belonging to the Eight Banners. During his childhood years, he developed an interest in traditional Chinese opera and experimented with several different vocal techniques. Later, his family came down in the world. In order to support his family, he studied under Zhang Sanlu and became a second-generation Xiangsheng performer. Shen Chunhe, better known by his stage name Shen Er (沈二), told stories before performing Xiangsheng. He studied under