Websites and Sources: Chinese Opera Wikipedia article on Chinese Opera Wikipedia Beijing Opera Masks Book: “Acting the Right Part: Political Theater and Popular Drama in Contemporary China” by Chen Xiaomei (University of Hawai'i Press, 2002). YUAN DYNASTY CULTURE, THEATER AND LITERATURE ROMANCE OF THE THREE KINGDOMS īATTLE OF RED CLIFFS SONG DYNASTY CULTURE: TEA-HOUSE THEATER, POETRY AND CHEAP BOOKS

TRADITIONAL STORYTELLING, DIALECTS AND ETHNIC LITERATURE IN CHINA REVOLUTIONARY OPERA AND MAOIST AND COMMUNIST THEATER IN CHINA ĮTHNIC MINORITY MUSIC FROM CHINA ĬULTURE AND LITERATURE įOLKLORE, OLD STORIES AND ANCIENT MYTHS FROM CHINA PEKING OPERA AND ITS HISTORY, MUSIC AND COSTUMES ĭECLINE OF CHINESE AND PEKING OPERA AND EFFORTS TO KEEP IT ALIVE VILLAGE DRAMA IN THE 19TH CENTURY CHINA TYPES OF CHINESE THEATER AND REGIONAL OPERA MUSIC, OPERA, THEATER AND DANCE ĬHINESE OPERA-THEATER AND ITS HISTORY Īctors usually fall into one of four types of roles: the leading male (usually a scholar or official), the leading female (usually played by a man), the painted-face roles (warriors, heroes, demons, adventurers, and other characters), and the clown. Other than a form of entertainment, Chinese opera also plays an active role in dispensing important messages, especially those concerning patriotic values. Reflecting Chinese culture and philosophy, almost all opera performances highlight virtues such as loyalty, love and patriotism.

Most story plots in traditional Chinese opera performances are based on famous Chinese classics and myths. One of China’s most famous stories is “The Peony Pavillion “ Many popular stories were performed as Chinese opera. Famous early dramatists include Wang Shihfu, author of “Romance of the Western Chamber,” and Guan Hanqing (Kuang Han-ch'ing), author. Peking Opera also features acrobatics, martial arts, and poetic, stylized singing and dancing.ĭrama was the first literature in China to be written in the vernacular.

Peking Opera and other forms of Chinese opera merge singing, dialogue, acrobatics and pantomime into one art form performed by actors in garish make up or masks in a way that is not unlike Greek drama, which incorporated a chorus and also used masks extensively.

Chinese peking opera characters