Cai Yuanli 蔡源莉 (b. 1942) is an award-winning research scholar, retired from the Performing Arts research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Arts. She served as Editor in Chief of the long-term multi-volume project: Encyclopedia of the Performing Arts of China. She is the author of "History of Chinese Folk Art" (co-author), "General History of Chinese Folk Art" (co-author), "Chinese Storytelling", "History of Chinese Folk Art", etc.

Bao Chengjie 包澄潔 (1942-2020) was a researcher at the Institute of Opera, China National Academy of Arts. He once served as deputy director of the editorial department of "Chinese Opera Chronicle" and director of the Chinese Opera History Exhibition Room. He is the author of "The Ups and Downs of the Sea of ​​Arts", "Modern History of Chinese Opera Music", "History of Folk Art in the Qing Dynasty", "Spring and Autumn Facts - Catalog of the 60th Anniversary of the Beijing Folk Art Troupe", "Shanxian Paiziqu" (co-author), etc.

Catherine ("Kate") Stevens 石清照 (1927-2016) was a researcher and a trained storyteller, acting as a cultural ambassador as she promoted cultural exchange among Chinese, North American, and European storytellers and scholars. Kate originally studied physics, but became inspired by Chinese culture and received grants to go to Taiwan to study traditional Chinese performance art and storytelling. She received her PhD in Chinese Studies at Harvard and became a professor of Chinese Literature at the University of Toronto in 1966.

Jin Shengbo 金聲伯 (1930-2017) was an instrumental figure and representative inheritor and performer of Suzhou Pingtan (Suzhou Pinghua, Suzhou Tanci). He was one of the first of the National Intangible Cultural Heritage Representative Projects, the vice president of Jiangsu Branch of Chinese Quyi Artists Association, and winner of Chinese Quyi Peony Award. His notable works include “Railway Guerrillas” 《鐵道游擊隊》, “Red Rock” 《紅巖》, “Jiangnan Hong”《江南紅》, etc.

Tan Gengliang 唐耿良 (1921-2009) was a top performer in Pinghua. In 1951, he joined the Shanghai People's Pingtan Troupe (now Shanghai Pingtan Troupe) and served as deputy head and director of the Art Committee.

Jiang Yunxian 蔣雲仙 (1933-2023) was a Pingtan performing artist. She is known for being able to have a variety of singing styles, was good at imitating various local dialects and storytelling art. Her representative work is the pingtan “Tears and Laughter” 《啼笑因緣》, which is adapted from the novel of the same name by Zhang Henshui.

Sun Shuyun 孫書筠 (1921-2011) was a Jingyun Dagu performing artist in the Chinese Broadcasting Art Troupe. Her representative works include "The Chain of Stratagems”《连环计》, "Xu's Mother Scolds Cao”《徐母罵曹》, "Changbanpo”《長坂坡》, etc.

Zhong Dehai 鍾德海 (b.?) was a quyi musician. He was originally a drummer, but later became a string musician. He was proficient in the sanxian, sihu, and pipa, but was mostly known for his sihu playing, as others refer to him as the “King of the Sihu.”

Zhong Yujie 種玉傑 (b. 1959) is a performer of Jingyun Dagu. He was the former head of the Beijing Quyi Troupe and former vice president of the Chinese Quyi Artists Association, Beijing Opera and Dance Theater, and Beijing Quyi Artists Association. His representative works include "Seven Star Lantern”《七星燈》, "Farewell to Mother's Arrows”《別母亂箭》, "Sitting in the Tower and Killing Xi”《坐樓殺惜》, etc.

Cao Baolu 曹寶祿 (1910-1988) was a Bajiao Drum artist, and was elected the chairman of Beiping Quyi Guild because of his great reputation and successes. His representative works include Linked Quick Stories 聯珠快書: “Centipede Ridge”《蜈蚣嶺》, “Bumping the Monument”《碰碑》, “Making Trouble in Heaven”《鬧天宮》, etc.

Ma Zenghui 馬增蕙 (1936-2021) was a Danxian performer and performed with the Chinese Broadcast Storytelling Group. Ma Zenghui was a major part of the fifth group of national intangible cultural heritage representative projects. Her representative works include "Beating Baskets”《打籮筐》, "Du Shiniang”《杜十娘》, "Whipping Reeds”《鞭打蘆花》, etc.

Liang Houmin 梁厚民 (1940-2017) was a Kuaibanshu performance artist who performed with the Beijing Quyi Group. He was a member of the Chinese Quyi Artists Association, a director of the Beijing Quyi Association, a member of the Standing Committee of the Chongwen CPPCC, a part-time teacher of the Chinese Department of Peking University, and a director of the Beijing Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries. His works include "The Trouble at Yaowang Temple”《大鬧藥王廟》, "Tram Crash”《炒電車》, "Surprise Attack on the White Tigers”《奇襲白虎團》, etc.

Li Runjie 李潤傑 (1917-1990) was a Crosstalk and Kuaiban actor. He participated in the Tianjin People's Broadcasting Music and Radio Art Troupe. Additionally he was named a "National Advanced Producer", participated in the National Advanced Producers Congress, and was received by national leaders such as Mao Zedong.

Zhang Zhikuan 張志寬 (b. 1945) is one of the nation’s top Kuaiban artists. He is the chairman of the National Kuaibanshu Art Committee, and won first place of the "Tianjin Youth Basic Skills Performance" for his "Night Attack on Kinmen Island"《夜襲金門島》.

Wang Xueyi 王學義 (1934-2011) was a quyi artist, specifically specializing in kuaiban. His notable works include "Tong Ren Tang”《同仁堂》, "Coffin Shop”《棺材鋪》, "Zhuge Liang's Bet”《諸葛亮押寶》, etc.

Liu SiChang 劉司昌 (1928-1994) was a shandong kuaishu and quyi artist. He has served as an actor and member of the Art Committee of the Beijing Quyi Opera Troupe. He was a member of the Chinese Quyi Association and a director of the Beijing Quyi Association. His works include "Red Courtyard”《紅大院》, "Fishing for the Bronze Bull”《撈銅牛》, "Dulonggang”《獨龍岡》, etc.

Chang Baohua 常寶華 (1930-2018) was one of the nation’s top Crosstalk performers. Throughout his life, he has studied and performed more than 70 pieces of traditional crosstalks, created more than 170 crosstalks and other works, and published more than 50 articles. He devoted his whole life to the art of cross talk, and his creative spirit influenced many generations.

Li Jindou 李金斗 (b. 1947) is a crosstalk artist. With Chen Yongquan, he won the “Excellent Performance Award” in 1985. His many other achievements include winning the “First National Crosstalk Invitational Competition,” Comedy Star Gold Award, “Hou Baolin Golden Image Award,” etc. He was appointed the Honorary Chairman of the Beijing Quyi Artists Association in 2018.

Chen Yongquan 陳湧泉 (1932-2024) was a crosstalk artist. He collaborated with Li Jindou for nearly 30 years. In 1995, at the first national "Hou Baolin Golden Image Award" TV crosstalk competition, Chen Yongquan won the "Outstanding Contribution Award for Crosstalk Art". His notable works in collaboration with Li Jindou include "Wu Song Fights the Tiger”《武松打虎》, "Omitted Words”《省略語》, "On Stuttering”《結巴論》, etc.

Du Guozhi 杜國芝 (1944-2014) was a crosstalk artist. His representative works include "Chatting”《聊天》, "Hundred Blows”《百吹圖》, "On Modesty”《謙虛論》, etc.

Wang Jingshou 汪景壽 (1933-2003) was a Professor at Beijing University and the director of the Chinese Department's Editorial Teaching and Research Section, specializing in folkarts, specifically crosstalks. He was also a member of the Overseas Chinese Literature Research Association and the Chinese Popular Literature Society. Some of his notable publications include "Introduction to Quyi,” "Collection of Essays on Crosstalk Art,” "Origin of Crosstalk,” et

Guan Xueceng 關學曾 (1922-2006) was the founder and a performer of Beijing Qinshu. He was awarded the Chinese Quyi Peony Award for Lifetime Achievement by the Chinese Federation of Literary and Art Circles and the Chinese Quyi Association. Guan Xuezeng was also awarded the title of "Beijing Federation of Literary and Art Circles Model of Morality and Art" “北京市文聯德藝雙馨楷模”. His works include "Whipping the Reeds”《鞭打蘆花》, "Eating Noodles”《吃麪條》, "Robbing the Emperor's Leash”《劫皇槓》, etc.

Ma Yuping 馬玉萍 (1936-2023) was a Zhuzi actor and former national first-class actor. She served as a director of the Chinese Quyi Artists Association, member of Chinese Musicians Association, and the vice president of Beijing Quyi Artists Association. Her representative works include "Mu Guiying Pointing the Way”《穆桂英指路》, "Borrowing a Wig”《借髢髢》, "Knocking at the Door Three Times"《三叫門兒》, etc.

Li Boxiang 李伯祥 (b. 1938) is a crosstalks performer, who made his debut with "Six People"《六口人》. He has worked in the Jilin Radio and Storytelling Group, Jilin Folk Art Troupe, and Tianjin Folk Art Troupe. In 1986, his self written and self performed crosstalk, "The Best of Comprehension"《綜合之最》, won third place in the CCTV provincial and municipal cross talk competition. His cross talk partner is Du Guozhi (杜國芝) and together they are known as the "Golden Partner of Li and Du" (“李杜黃金搭檔”).