The Qingdao Comedy Festival, which began on Sept 20, featured the "liyuan laughing forum" in Shinan district of Qingdao city – located in East China's Shandong province – on Sept 22.

With the theme of "Why Can't We Do Without Comedy", the forum brought together prominent figures from China's comedy industry – including actor Huang Bo, Mewe Media founder Ma Dong and director Xu Zheng – to explore the core and future of comedic art.

Chinese celebrities converge on the Qingdao Comedy Festival, held in Shinan district, Qingdao. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Ma advocated for platforms like the Qingdao Comedy Festival to foster an environment that nurtures comedy creators, while Xu highlighted the significance of source creation and improvisation, drawing parallels with the American comedy industry's development.

He anticipates that the festival will evolve into a focal point for live comedy performances.

The inaugural Qingdao Comedy Festival spans 10 days and features an impressive lineup of 33 plays and 64 comedy acts. It has assembled 40 domestic comedy brands and troupes with various styles, such as cross-talk club Deyunshe and stand-up comedy club Danliren.

By setting its stage amid the courtyards of Shinan district, the festival merges historical architecture with contemporary comedy – showcasing Qingdao's rich cultural heritage and aiming to drive the city's cultural innovation.