Huang Gong of the East Sea is a representative play of Jiaodi Opera of the Han Dynasty. Jiaodi Opera used to be a show similar to a wrestling battle between two people, from which sumo and wrestling of later ages originated. Starting the Han Dynasty, artists began to present life stories in the battle, which gradually became Jiaodi Opera.

Huang Gong of the East Sea is a play with plots and characters, performed by two people, who demonstrate the story of a fight between a man and a tiger using movements. The story is based on a folk legend about Huang Gong, a man from the East Sea. It is said that he practiced magic arts as a child, but his arts didn't work when he got old. In the late Qin Dynasty, there appeared a white tiger at the East Sea. Huang Gong tried to subdue the tiger, but his magic arts were not effective at all. As a result, he was bitten to death by the tiger. According to this legend, people of the central Shaanxi plain choreographed a dance, which was later introduced to the imperial court as one of the plays in Jiaodi Opera. The staging of the show was recorded in Western Metropolis Rhapsody by Zhang Heng of the Eastern Han Dynasty.

Huang Gong of the East Sea may be a Jiaodi play, but unlike usual Jiaodi plays performed by two people, who battle it out by their wrestling strength. This play has certain plots, with the creation of characters, conflicting scenes and the outcome of the battle being prearranged. In the play, one man winding a band of red silk round his head and holding a gold knife plays Huang Gong, another plays the tiger. The two performers fight and dodge each other according to the storyline, presenting a fantastic show. In addition, there are some dance-like movements like holding the knife and praying, a man and a tiger fighting each other etc.

Huang Gong of the East Sea made an unprecedented combination of the various elements of operatic performance, laying a foundation for the creation of operas.