Performing arts groups across China staged nearly 2.97 million performances last year, reaping around 12.78 billion yuan (about $1.8 billion), according to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

A report issued by the ministry said that by the end of 2019, there were 17,795 performing arts groups in China, an increase of 672 year on year. Over 1.2 billion domestic audiences witnessed their performances, up 4.6 percent year on year.

More than 1.71 million performances were staged in China's rural areas, accounting for 57.7 percent of the total number of performances in 2019, the report said.