Peking Opera · 京剧
Stories that define the repertoire
The Peking Opera repertoire runs to hundreds of plays, drawn from history, legend and folklore. A few have become icons of the art:
The doomed love of the warrior Xiàng Yǔ and his concubine Yǔjī on the eve of defeat — a towering tragedy of loyalty and loss.
A luminous solo show for a Dan role: the emperor's favourite, neglected at a garden banquet, drifts into wine and melancholy.
The Monkey King's comic, acrobatic rebellion against the heavenly court — pure wǔshēng spectacle.
A wordless, near-dark combat scene of mistaken identities — proof that Peking Opera can thrill without a spoken line.
A aged heroine answers the call to lead the army, blending stirring singing with martial display.