Brief information on Peking Opera

Peking Opera is quintessentially Chinese. It is also called Beijing Opera, as it originated in the capital; however, its origins can be traced back to old local operas, especially Anhui Opera, which was extremely popular in northern China in the 18th century. 



In 1790, Anhui’s four main opera troupes, Sanqing Ban, Sixi Ban, Chungong Ban and Chun Ban, performed in Beijing to great acclaim. At that time, they often performed onstage with artists from Hubei troupes. The result of these collaborations was the formation of a new type of drama, with Er Huang and Xi Pi melodies, and the operas from other dialects to supplement the mix, such as Kun Qu and Qinqiang. The resulting new drama became known as Peking Opera. 



During its development over more than two centuries, Peking Opera became focused on four principal artistic methods: singing, dialogue, dancing and martial arts. It became a perfectly-rounded art form with the addition of musical instruments such as the Erhu and Jinghu. 
Peking Opera was also extolled as "Oriental Opera" for two principal reasons. Firstly, both types of opera share similarities, from singing, dancing, music, art, literature to opera styles. Secondly, both of them derive from the same classical origin.

Face Painting in Peking Opera

Face painting is perhaps the most eye-catching element of Peking Opera. In Chinese, it is called Lianpu. The skill of Lianpu takes long-term commitment to studying both the technical artistry required, as well as a deep understanding of the role each character, or face, has in each play. The colorful Lianpu would illustrate the specific persona of each character, also giving an insight into their destinies, thus affording the audience a greater understanding of the story unfolding on stage. In this way, Lianpu is called ’the picture of hearts’. When watching a Peking Opera, the audience is sure to be fascinated by many of the impressive painted faces on display, a tribute to the art of Lianpu. 



The colors used in Lianpu are varied, with each representing a specific characteristic. For example, red symbolizes loyalty, such as in the case of Guanyu, a great general during the Three Kingdoms Period (220-280). Black signifies either honesty or frankness, as typified by Lord Bao, a righteous official during the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127), or abruptness and impertinence, as displayed by Likui, an important figure in the famous ancient Chinese novel ’All Men Are Brothers’. White stands for cattiness and cunning, with Caocao as its representative, a famous politician in the late Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220). 



As one of the most important traditional Chinese dramatic forms, Peking Opera perfectly integrates music, vocal performance, mime, dance and acrobatics. In addition to its presence in mainland China, it has spread to many other places and can be found in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and many overseas Chinese communities.