Pingjiang Opera comes into being after evolvement from the Siping-tune "spoken part" popular in the late and Ming and early Qing Dynasties and in combination with the "Loading story" ("驮故事" in Chinese) art performance in Pingnan. As one of the predecessor of Fujian Opera, Pingjiang Opera is also a unique local opera in eastern Fujian and named owing to its speaking style part and ordinary tune.

Its high tune is composed of the tune of Yongjia Opera, high tune of Yiyang, pounding and other folk tunes. Further, its singing tune has also absorbed elements of popular folk songs and presents music through tunes. Main traditional plays include "Qishuang", "Bazeng" and "Nianyiza", etc. It is performed by Fu'an dialect in a primitive, rough, simple and popular form. The band employs "scabbard board" solely supported by gong and drum to render the desired rhythm and later by Jinghu, Maohu, flute, suona horn and other orchestral instruments. The simple stage costume of actors is mainly made of embroidery homespun. In terms of makeup, only "Xiamentao" is used for facial embellishment. Its popular characteristics have made it deeply favored by the public.

Fu'an opera culture bears a long history. Xue Lingzhi, a native of Fu'an in the Tang Dynasty, said in his Chant for a Humble Cottage that "I only play ingenious lute songs." Feng Menglong in the Ming Dynasty mentioned in his Records in Shouning (寿宁待志 in Chinese) that Louxia Village, Xibing Town, Fu'an, is home to famous opera actors. In case of any joyous occasions, all would go to Fu'an to receive actors there for excellent performance." The late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China marks the heyday of Fu'an Pingjiang Opera. Nearly 80-90% theatrical troupes in Fu'an are specialized in Pingjiang Opera. Emerging troupes include "Sanhe Troupe", "Xinchangxing", "Liuyang Troupe", "Xinyuchun", etc. Among others, "Xinchangxing" is the best-known one. It is recorded in Chinese Operas that in Lianpengtou Village, Fu'an in the Qing Dynasty, Lin Juli called artists of Pingjiang Opera from eight counties in eastern Fujian and set up "Xinchangxing" Troupe. Later, the troupe rose to be a famous one in northeast Fujian and got extensive heat in Fujian, Zhejiang and Jiangxi. Fu'an Pingjiang Opera began to decline in the later period of the Republic of China and before the founding of new China. During 1956 and 1964 after founding of the new China, the party and government attached great importance to it and took some resurrection measures. "Fu'an Pingjiang Opera Troupe" was set up in Fu'an in March 1960. After the setup, the troupe has tapped 23 traditional plays and 24 melodies, rehearsed Picking Mulberries, Hairpin Gift, Broken Bridge, etc. and went to Fuzhou to take part in the provincial joint opera performance. Owing to the above, the troupe has been highly and extensively praise.

Fu'an Pingjiang Opera represents one of the most influential local operas in eastern Fujian, has distinctive opera characteristics, preserved the primitive and rough performance style, and holds the aesthetic and appreciative value of ancient drama. In addition, it has an important reference value for study on historic culture, local operas and folk activities in eastern Fujian, for cultural exchanges among operas, especially for study on the origin relations with Fujian Opera as well as for the "grassroots" artistic characteristics of folk operas and is also of cultural reference value for study and protection of rera operas in Fujian.

Fu'an Pingjiang Opera has been incorporated in the List of National Nonmaterial Cultural Heritage.