Gaojia opera, also known as Ko-kah opera, is a traditional form of Chinese opera that originated in Quanzhou within the Hokkien-speaking region of southern Fujian province in southeast China. The art form emerged during the late Ming dynasty and was initially an improvised performance integrated into religious parades.
Over time, these parade performances evolved into Songjiang drama, which featured acrobatics and simple plots centered on the character Songjiang from the classic Chinese novel Water Margin. During the middle of the Qing dynasty, Gaojia opera incorporated influences from Beijing opera, Hui opera, and Yiyang music. The accompanying music is characterized by a southern Chinese style influenced by Liyuan opera.
The genre is particularly well-known for its diverse variety of chou (clown) roles. In the Philippines, the tradition is referred to as "Kaoka" based on Amoy Hokkien terminology and is currently considered a dying tradition.