“Crosstalk Bus” Launched in North China’s Tianjin

Tianjin in north China has inaugurated a special “crosstalk bus”, regular night bus service with professional crosstalk artists performing onboard throughout the 50-minute journey. The launch of this bus service is part of the ongoing Tianjin Crosstalk Festival that opened on Aug. 2.

Crosstalk, or Xiangsheng in Chinese, is a traditional form of comic monologue or dialogue popular in Tianjin.



A “Crosstalk bus” stops by the side of Haihe River in Tianjin, north China, Aug. 13, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Ran)



Tourists line up to get on a “Crosstalk bus” in Tianjin, north China, Aug. 13, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Ran)



Crosstalk artists perform on a “Crosstalk bus” in Tianjin, north China, Aug. 13, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Ran)



An artist performs kuaiban, a traditional Chinese performance art that combines rhythmic clapping with storytelling, on a “Crosstalk bus” in Tianjin, north China, Aug. 13, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Ran)