To be clear at the outset: I watched a number of Deyunshe special-performance videos during a low period some time ago, and these are simply my own impressions. I’m not a devoted fan of any one performer in particular. If this happens to offend your favorite, please take it as nothing more than a personal opinion.
Deyunshe is probably the hottest xiangsheng troupe around right now. Guo Degang clearly has real ability—he has ideas, he has the skills, and he knows how to generate attention—so it’s not surprising that the group became this popular. But within such a famous troupe, the performers’ professional level is still uneven. Based on what I’ve watched and heard, I’d roughly sort their crosstalk ability into a few tiers.
At the very top are Guo Degang and Yu Qian. What makes them stand out is that they no longer need to show off technique in an obvious way. They can sound as if they’re just chatting casually, yet the pacing, the setup, and the punchlines all unfold naturally. Some of their jokes, taken out of context, may not seem particularly remarkable, but once placed inside their delivery and stage atmosphere, they become genuinely funny. That ability to make people laugh through what seems effortless, almost understated control is rare.
The next tier, in my view, includes Yue Yunpeng and Sun Yue, along with Luan Yunping and Gao Feng. Their rhythm is strong, and they are very capable of controlling the room. Compared with Guo Degang, though, you can still sometimes sense the marks of technique—the craft is there, and you can hear it working.
A third tier would be people like Zhang Helun, Guo Qilin, and Shaobing. You can tell they’ve all put in serious work. Guo Qilin especially feels like someone with a lot of potential. If he had not branched out so much into film, television, and variety shows, and had instead focused fully on xiangsheng, I honestly think his future achievements in the form might not have been below his father’s. As for Shaobing, he’s somewhat held back by his voice.
Then there are performers like Meng Hetang and Zhang Yunlei. Zhang Yunlei’s little songs are indeed pleasant to listen to, and that part of his appeal is real, but in terms of pure xiangsheng fundamentals, I don’t think he measures up to the names mentioned above. Even though he belongs to the "Yun" generation, the gap is still noticeable. I happened to hear his version of the traditional piece Dui Chunlian, which Yue Yunpeng has also performed. Anyone interested can compare the two, and the difference becomes obvious very quickly. Zhang Yunlei is not just a little behind there.
Further down are some of the disciples from the "Jiu" generation who still have a certain level of skill. Most of them have their own problems, but since some of them have already gained a bit of recognition, there is still a lot of room for improvement if they continue studying and refining their craft.
As for Qin Xiaoxian, who is quite popular at the moment, he seems to be part of Guo Degang’s strategy to attract younger female fans. If we’re talking strictly about xiangsheng ability, I’d say he may not even be at the level of some experienced amateur enthusiasts.