Page "Song Dynasty" Paragraph 22

The populace engaged in a vibrant social and domestic life, enjoying such public festivals as the Lantern Festival or the Qingming Festival.

There were entertainment quarters in the cities provided a constant array of amusements.

There were puppeteers, acrobats, theater actors, sword swallowers, snake charmers, storytellers, singers and musicians, prostitutes, and places to relax including tea houses, restaurants, and organized banquets.

People attended social clubs in large numbers ; there were tea clubs, exotic food clubs, antiquarian and art collectors ' clubs, horse-loving clubs, poetry clubs and music clubs.

Like regional cooking and cuisines in the Song, the era was known for its regional varieties of performing arts styles as well.

Theatrical drama was very popular amongst the elite and general populace, although Classical Chinese — not the vernacular language — was spoken by actors on stage.

The four largest drama theatres in Kaifeng could hold audiences of several thousand each.

There were also notable domestic pastimes, as people at home enjoyed activities such as the go and xiangqi board games.