Chinese Opera Knowledge

Chou (clown) is the fourth role category in Peking Opera and serves as a foil to the leading character, but it predated other role categories."No chou role, no play" has long been a popular saying.

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The male and female characters in the picture both have hard kao armor suit with flags on.

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An artist performs at the opening ceremony of the 5th China Qinqiang Opera Arts Festival in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Aug. 28, 2010. The opera festival consists of nearly 60 performances which are shown at many theatres in Xi'an from Aug. 22 to Sept. 6. Qinqiang is a local opera that thrives in northwest China's Gansu, Shaanxi, Qinghai, Ningxia and Xinjiang. It is known as the "First Emperor's Opera," indicating it was popular during the reign of Qinshihuang, the first emperor of a united China in the Qin Dynasty

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Grammy and Oscar-winning composer and conductor Tan Dun took a modern approach in producing the opera by bringing "The Peony Pavilion" away from the stage and into the natural setting of Kezhi Garden. Zhang Jun, one of China's top Kunqu Opera masters, acted in the opera, which is dubbed China's very own "Romeo and Juliet."

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Young warriors or wusheng on the Peking Opera stage can be generals in full"armor suits"with embroidered banners tied to the back.

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Chinese performer He Hongqing can change his facial expressions, and make up, on stage in a flash, but it's not due to skills learned at drama school.

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Based on Tibetan folk songs and dances, Tibetan Opera first appeared towards the end of the fourteenth century and developed into an influential ethnic opera in the seventeenth century. It is popular in Tibetan communities in Tibet, Sichuan, Qinghai and southern Gansu.

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The mention of Chinese opera might remind foreign friends immediately of Peking opera, which to them is almost the same as the Chinese opera. This is a sure indication of the influence of Peking opera in China and even in the world.

This impression, though not quite exact, is not far from the truth: Peking opera, which epitomizes Chinese culture and art, is certainly the essence of China. If martial arts can be viewed as the "national arts," the Peking opera can be viewed as the "national drama."

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