Jinan Lyv Opera was originally called Zuoqiang Yangqi or Huazhuang Yangqin, and it was derived from a mixture of traditional narrative music which emphasizes a conversational style of singing such as Shandong Qinshu, Huagudeng, Xiaoqu and Denqiang. In 1951, the first Lyv Opera theatrical company in Shandong province, Jinan Lusheng Qinju Troupe, was founded. It was renamed Jinan Lyv Opera Troupe in 1953.

It mainly consists of siping, erban and qupai ("named tune") and its tunes are rich in changes and the lyrics are easy to understand, as the content comes from ordinary people's daily lives. It is popular, especially in central, western and northern Shandong.