Written by: Mahnoor Fatima
Posted on: January 26, 2021 | 
| 中文
Jingxi troupe performing
One of China’s most recognizable art forms is the Peking Opera, with its unique arias and breathtakingly colorful characters who glide around the stage. While there are over a hundred opera styles in China, the most popular is the Peking Opera (or ‘Beijing Opera’, also known as ‘Jingxi’) due to its simplicity and influence. What is special about Peking Opera is its ability to combine music and song with acrobatics, martial arts and dance, to not just inspire and entertain but also inform and educate the audience. This art form has undergone tremendous change over a long period of history, but has retained its popularity and identity as representative of Chinese culture.
In historical records, Jingxi has mainly been credited to four actors from Anhui (now a province in Eastern China), who performed for the Emperor’s 80th birthday in 1790 CE. However, Peking Opera has been an amalgamation of many older regional operas like those performed in Anhui or Hubei. However, over a period of time, the art form grew to have its unique character. Peking Opera was fully established in 1845, while traveling operatic companies performed both on stage and at tea houses. Most notably, the Empress Dowager Cixi (1835-1908) was an enthusiastic patron of this art form: she built two stages in the Summer Palace, and frequently summoned the city’s most gifted artists to perform for her.
The Peking Opera Stage at the Summer Palace
Peking Opera is mostly recited in the Beijing dialect, and has strict rules around form and rhyme. It has two main melodies called Xipi and Erhuang, which are similar to Han Opera (an older, more ornate opera genre) as well as the songs sung during shadow puppet theatre. Dialogue in archaic Mandarin often comes as a compliment to song, which is the main driving point of the play. Traditional instruments are used sparingly, and the songs were simple enough for anyone to sing them. Popular operas include, “Farewell My Concubine”, “Drunken Beauty” and “The Heavenly Maid Scatters Blossoms” among others.
Learning the art of Peking Opera requires a long and arduous apprenticeship, which needs to begin at an early age. The art form is largely transmitted through master-student training, and information is passed down through instruction, observation and imitation. Performers first need to be trained in acrobatics, followed by singing and then acting. Initially, students were picked by a master who would take on the student’s expenses while they trained. The student in turn paid back their debts to their teachers through performance earnings. This system became more standardized with the establishment of schools in 1911. Nowadays, training schools also provide academic studies, and teachers determine the kind of characters a student can play during their career.
Young Opera Performers from 1900
There are some overarching tropes of the opera, which have helped the viewers understand the characters. Four common character tropes exist within the opera: the ‘Sheng’ (male lead role), the ‘Dan’ (main female role), the ‘Jing’ (a male character with a unique trait), and the ‘Chou’ (the ugly clown for comedic relief). In early operas, only male performers were allowed to perform, while young boys often played the female roles. Traditionally, the stage settings and props were kept to minimum, and the plot progressed through flamboyant characters with striking features.
Each character’s face is painted in a distinct expression with specific colors, a practice that goes back to ancient rituals. Their makeup and colors symbolize their disposition and the destiny of their character, offering a combination of beauty and ugliness. For instance, black indicates boldness or selflessness, yellow signifies ambition and cool headedness, and white refers to treachery and ambition. The amount of makeup on a character varies depending on their roles, with the Sheng and Dan wearing minimal makeup while the Jing has complex patterns to reveal his inner complexity.
Jing Makeup
Unfortunately, the Peking Opera has had its share of tragedy and reinvention. During the Boxer Rebellion (1900), Peking’s great theatres were burnt down and opera companies dissolved. In response, artists began to experiment with different styles and took on more contemporary topics which advocated social reform. Artists also began to export the Peking Opera to other parts of the world which had Chinese communities residing there. The most famous Peking Opera actor of the earlier half of the 21st Century is Mei Lanfang, who played a key role in introducing Chinese theatre to the West. Between 1930-1935, he performed in the United States and Europe, and inspired the likes of German playwright Bertolt Brecht. He also revolutionized the practice by taking on female students, and giving them the opportunity to tell stories on their terms.
The Four Famous Dans - Cheng Yanqiu, Shang Xiaoyun, Mei Lanfang and Xun Huisheng
With the establishment of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, Peking Opera performances took on more contemporary and revolutionary themes, while other topics were censored. Because it was seen as bourgeois and feudal, it was banned during the Cultural Revolution (1960s) and the artists could no longer perform for the public. However, the art form was revived in the 1980’s, but reforms took place to give the Opera more contemporary themes and Western influences, as a way to get young people interested in the art.
An Opera Performance with Spears
As of 2010, Peking opera has been declared an Intangible Cultural Heritage of the World due to its powerful legacy with over 200 years of performances, character development and innovation. Many often say that Peking Opera is the soul of the Chinese nation. This may not just be because it showcases the ancient stories which have been very dear to the Chinese for a long time. Peking Opera has undergone many changes and hardships, re-emerging to fit the needs of the current era. It remains an important part of the Chinese identity, and therefore should be wholeheartedly embraced by anyone who wishes to understand and appreciate Chinese culture.
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