Jiaochuan Zoushu represents a kind of folk art by the Han ethnic group with distinctive local features. Originated from the Qing Dynasty when Emperor Guangxu reigned (1875-1908), Jiaochuan Zoushu was prevalent in Zhenhai, Zhoushan, Yinzhou, among other regions. It was at first a solo performance with the absence of accompaniment and musical accord, and later evolved into a two-people performance with the accompaniment of Sizhu, a traditional stringed and woodwind instrument. It is free, easy and melodious with a vivid performance comprising more than 30 types of tunes.

According to senior performers of Jiaochuan Zoushu, during Guangxu period, Jiaochuan Zoushu got its name when a performer, Xie Ashu, or Xie Yuanhong, saw an arched wall with inscribed characters Jiaochuan on a south gate in Zhenhai where he lived and then so named the opera. The result is that Xie has been taken as the founder of Jiaochuan Zoushu. There is no record of from who Xie learned to sing the opera. As is mentioned earlier, performers used a simple strategy in doing this with only two small wine bowls and chopsticks, beating with tempo and singing with self abandonment. Prior to the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression (1937-1945), the solo form changed into two-people performance. Performers started to use a block, a fan and a handkerchief while singing to the accompaniment of bamboo clappers and drums on a small platform set up in a temple, an ancestral hall or a bleachery. At the end of each tune, they produced a basic tune to the effect of Ei Ei Li A.

Erhu and Yangqin (dulcimer) among other instruments were played before the war broke out.

After the PRC was founded, other instruments such as Pipa, Sanxian, Xiao and whistle were added to the existing network of instruments.

Traditional pieces include the Eastern Han Dynasty and the Western Han Dynasty. In June 2006, Jiaochuan Zoushu was listed in the first batch of intangible cultural heritage list of Ningbo City.