Xiangsheng, usually a double act between two performers or a monologue by a solo performer, is rich in puns and allusionsto make audiences laugh. It's made up of four classic skills: speaking, imitating, teasing and singing.Starting as a relatively low-class street performance, Xiangsheng evolved after the establishment of the People's Republic of China in 1949 to be performed in teahouses and theaters. And it is now a standard feature of CCTV's annual New Year' Gala.