Artists from Yiwu in Zhejiang province enchant audience with Wuju Opera during the NC Folk Fest in Greensboro, North Carolina. [Photo/zgyww.cn]

An art troupe from Yiwu in East China's Zhejiang province performed traditional Wuju Opera as part of the NC Folk Fest in Greensboro, North Carolina on Sept 12.

The troupe of 31 folk artists performed classic Chinese stories such as the Romance of the Three Kingdoms and Journey to the West for US audiences, drawing lively cheers and applause.

"Exhausted from our 20-hour flight to get here, we felt our efforts were rewarded when the audience applauded our show," said Jin Weizhong, director of the Wuju Inheritance Center of Yiwu and a member of the troupe.

On the invitation of the Greensboro College and the organizing committee of the NC Folk Fest, the troupe not only brought Wuju Opera to the annual event, but promoted the intangible cultural heritage in many local universities and colleges during a 4-day tour.

A porcelain plate with Yiwu's logo is presented to the mayor of Greensboro. [Photo/zgyww.cn]

NC Folk Fest is an annual festival hosted by the municipal government of Greensboro to preserve and promote intangible cultural heritages. It attracts about 150,000 visitors every year.

Wuju Opera is a type of opera unique to the city of Jinhua and its neighboring areas in Zhejiang. In 2008, it was listed as a national intangible cultural heritage in China.

The Wuju Opera Art Troupe is very popular among overseas audiences and plays a vital role in the province's international cultural exchange. The troupe from Yiwu has visited Turkey, South Korea, France, and Italy in recent years.