title: Peking Opera (Introductions to Chinese Culture)
author:  Chengbei Xu 
description: In this illustrated introduction, Xu Chengbei explains the make up, costumes, characters, staging, stories and music associated with Peking opera, and discusses the origins and development of this unique performance art. Peking Opera is an essential starting point for all those interested in this intriguing part of China's cultural heritage.
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  # VILLAGE OPERA
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ### Lu Hsun
  
  
  This page copyright © 2002 Munsey's.
  
  
  http://www.munseys.com
  
  During the past twenty years I have been to the Chinese
  
  
  opera only twice. During the first ten years I never went, having
  
  
  neither the desire nor the Opportunity. The two occasions on which I
  
  
  went were in the past ten years, but each time I left without seeing
  
  
  anything in it.
  
  
    
  The first time was in 1912 when I was new to Peking. A friend told
  
  
  me Peking had the best opera and that seeing it was an experience I
  
  
  shouldn't miss. I thought it might be interesting to see an opera,
  
  
  especially in Peking, and hurried in high spirits to some theatre, the
  
  
  name of which I have forgotten. The performance had already started.
  
  
  Even outside I could hear the beat of the drums. As we squeezed in,
  
  
  bright colours flashed in view, and I saw many heads in the
  
  
  auditorium; as I scanned the theatre I saw a few seats in the middle
  
  