相声 also known as Crosstalk, is a traditional Chinese comedic performance in the form of a dialogue or a monologue or, even less frequently, a multi-player talk show. The language, rich in puns and allusions, is used in a rapid, bantering style.

Xiangsheng is one of China's foremost performing arts.


Today's featured person is 大山 Dàshān, literally "Big Mountain". 大山 is Mark Rowswell's Chinese stage name. He works as a freelance performer in People's Republic of China. Relatively unknown in the West, Dashan is perhaps the most famous Western performer in China, where he occupies a unique position as a foreign national who has become a bona fide domestic celebrity. Dashan's fame "is built on his now legendary ability to speak Mandarin Chinese better than many Chinese people."