These tea-picking songs became the basis of stage musicals called cai cha deng or cha lan deng, which in turn gradually evolved into three-part tea-picking opera, a name which derives from the fact that no more than three performers take part.
由山歌的歌謠變成「採茶唱」歌舞（稱採茶燈或茶籃燈），再慢慢演變成演員人數不超過三人的「三腳採茶」民間小戲。