Xiangsheng, sometimes translated as crosstalk, is a traditional Chinese comedic performance in the form of a dialogue between two performers or more, even a solo monologue.
相聲，是一種中國傳統喜劇表演，一般是兩人或多人對話，或者單口說唱。
The language, rich in puns and allusions, is delivered in a rapid, bantering style.
相聲，常用雙關語或暗指，語言歡快，令人捧腹大笑。
Xiangsheng is one of China’s foremost performing arts, and is typically performed in the Beijing dialect.
相聲是中國重要的表演藝術之一，主要用北京方言表演。
Xiangsheng rose as a performing act during the Ming Dynasty. From the Qing Dynasty to the 1920s, Xiangsheng gradually developed to become a style of comedic monologue.
相聲源起於明朝，從清朝到20世紀20年代，逐漸發展成為單口相聲。
Later Xiangsheng came to be performed as a dialogue and sometimes even in groups of three or more.
然後逐步發展為對口相聲、甚至是群口相聲。
The earliest Xiangsheng comedian known by name is Zhang Sanlu, who performed in the mid-nineteenth century.
張三祿是目前最早見於文字記載的相聲藝人，他主要活躍於19世紀中期。
After the PRC was established in 1949, Xiangsheng became more and more popular.
1949年中華人民共和國成立後，相聲越來越受歡迎。
Today, it’s heavily featured in the CCTV New Year’s Gala program and countless other performance shows in China.
如今，相聲成為中國春節聯歡晚會和其它許多演出的壓軸節目。
Jump into a cab in Beijing, and chances are your driver will be listening to a radio broadcast or an old tape of a crosstalk performance.
坐上北京的計程車，也許你的計程車司機正在聽相聲廣播節目或老式磁帶相聲節目呢。