"Peking Opera" in Simplified (top) and Traditional (bottom) Chinese characters
Traditional Chinese
京劇
Simplified Chinese
京剧
Literal meaning
Capital drama
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin
Jīngjù
Bopomofo
ㄐㄧㄥ ㄐㄩˋ
Wade–Giles
Ching1-chü4
Tongyong Pinyin
Jing-jyù
IPA
[tɕíŋ.tɕŷ]
Yue: Cantonese
Yale Romanization
Gīng-kehk
Jyutping
ging1 kek6
IPA
[keŋ˥ kʰɛːk̚˨]
Southern Min
Tâi-lô
Kiann-kio̍k
Alternative Chinese name
Traditional Chinese
京戲
Simplified Chinese
京戏
Literal meaning
Capital play
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin
Jīngxì
Bopomofo
ㄐㄧㄥ ㄒㄧˋ
Wade–Giles
Ching1-hsi4
Tongyong Pinyin
Jing-sì
IPA
[tɕíŋ.ɕî]
Second alternative Chinese name
Traditional Chinese
國劇
Simplified Chinese
国剧
Literal meaning
National drama
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin
Guójù
Bopomofo
ㄍㄨㄛˊ ㄐㄩˋ
Wade–Giles
Kuo2-chü4
Tongyong Pinyin
Guó-jyù
IPA
[kwǒ.tɕŷ]
Former name (mainly used 19th century)
Traditional Chinese
皮黃
Simplified Chinese
皮黄
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin
Píhuáng
Bopomofo
ㄆㄧˊ ㄏㄨㄤˊ
Wade–Giles
P'i2-huang2
Tongyong Pinyin
Pí-huáng
IPA
[pʰǐ.xwǎŋ]
Former name (mainly used 1927–1949)
Traditional Chinese
平劇
Simplified Chinese
平剧
Literal meaning
Beiping's drama
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin
Píngjù
Bopomofo
ㄆㄧㄥˊ ㄐㄩˋ
Wade–Giles
P'ing2-chü4
Tongyong Pinyin
Píng-jyù
IPA
[pʰǐŋ.tɕŷ]
Peking opera, or Beijing opera (Chinese: 京劇; pinyin: Jīngjù), is the most dominant form of Chinese opera, which combines instrumental music, vocal performance, mime, martial arts, dance and acrobatics. It arose in Beijing in the mid-Qing dynasty (1644–1912) and became fully developed and recognized by the mid-19th century.[1] The form was extremely popular in the Qing court and has come to be regarded as one of the cultural treasures of China.[2] Major performance troupes are based in Beijing, Tianjin and Shanghai.[3] The art form is also preserved in Taiwan, where it is also known as Guójù (Chinese: 國劇; lit. 'National opera'). It has also spread to other regions such as the United States and Japan.[4]
Peking opera features four main role types, sheng (gentlemen), dan (women), jing (rough men), and chou (clowns). Performing troupes often have several of each variety, as well as numerous secondary and tertiary performers. With their elaborate and colorful costumes, performers are the only focal points on Peking opera's characteristically sparse stage. They use the skills of speech, song, dance and combat in movements that are symbolic and suggestive, rather than realistic. Above all else, the skill of performers is evaluated according to the beauty of their movements. Performers also adhere to a variety of stylistic conventions that help audiences navigate the plot of the production.[5] The layers of meaning within each movement must be expressed in time with music. The music of Peking opera can be divided into the xīpí (西皮) and èrhuáng (二黄) styles. Melodies include arias, fixed-tune melodies and percussion patterns.[6] The repertoire of Peking opera includes over 1,400 works, which are based on Chinese history, folklore and, increasingly, contemporary life.[7]
Traditional Peking opera was denounced as "feudalistic" and "bourgeois" during the Cultural Revolution (1966–1976) and replaced mostly with the revolutionary operas until the period's end.[8] After the Cultural Revolution, these transformations were largely undone. In recent years, Peking opera has responded to sagging audience numbers by attempting reforms, including improving performance quality, adapting new performance elements, shortening works, and performing new and original plays.
^Goldstein 2007, page 3.
^Mackerras 1976, pages 473–501.
^Wichmann 1990, pages 146–178.
^Rao 2000, pages 135–162.
^Wichmann 1991, page 360.
^Guy 1990, pages 254–259
^Wichmann 1991, pages 12–16.
^Cite error: The named reference Lu Xing was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
Pekingopera, or Beijing opera (Chinese: 京劇; pinyin: Jīngjù), is the most dominant form of Chinese opera, which combines instrumental music, vocal performance...
opera, like the National Academy of Chinese Theatre Arts in Beijing and the National Taiwan College of Performing Arts in Taipei. In learning Peking opera...
versions of the operas were all Pekingoperas and were produced by either the China PekingOpera House or the Shanghai PekingOpera House, although many...
hundred regional branches of traditional Chinese opera today. In the 20th century, the Pekingopera emerged in popularity and has come to known as the...
116°22′47″E / 39.897404°N 116.379847°E / 39.897404; 116.379847 The Zhengyici PekingOpera Theatre (Chinese: 正乙祠戏楼; pinyin: Zhèngyǐcí Xìlóu), located on a hutong...
like Bai Suzhen and Xiao Qing from the Legend of the White Snake. In Pekingopera, the zhan'ao zhanqun (戰襖戰裙; "martial shirt, martial skirt") costume is...
particularly Pekingopera.[citation needed] iQiyi released a talk show named Wang Peiyu PekingOpera Show alongside the drama, which features Pekingopera performer...
roles in Chinese opera, often referring to leading roles. They may be played by male or female actors. In the early years of Pekingopera, all dan roles...
and singing segments in Liyue opera are performed by Yang Yang. Yun Jin's character prototype is based on a Pekingopera performer, with the development...
Chou is the clown role in Chinese opera. The Chou usually plays secondary roles in a troupe. Most studies of Pekingopera classify the Chou as a minor role...
During the Qing dynasty, Pekingopera became popular. Pekingopera developed from different opera styles. In 1790. various local opera troupes performed in...
because of the prominent presence of cross-gender behavior. PekingOpera, also known as Beijing Opera, had male actors playing female dan characters. Men traditionally...
Beijing, alternatively romanized as Peking, is the capital of China. With more than 22 million residents, Beijing is the world's most populous national...
was a Pekingopera actor who specialized in its "old male" (老生, laosheng) roles. He is considered one of the greatest grand masters of PekingOpera of the...
The China Drama Academy (Chinese: 中國戲劇學院) was a Pekingopera school in Kowloon, Hong Kong, known for being the childhood home of such famous actors as...
type in Chinese opera for "rough" or "mighty" male characters.[citation needed] In many genres (such as Pekingopera and Cantonese opera), this role requires...
was born in Anaheim, California. Her parents were performers with the Pekingopera before they relocated to Anaheim, where they ran a successful pancake...
Yue opera (Chinese: 越剧; pinyin: Yuèjù), also known as Shaoxing opera, is a popular Chinese opera genre. Only Pekingopera is considered more popular nationwide...
trap (seducing him to participate in espionage) by Shi Pei Pu, a male Pekingopera singer who performed female roles, whom Boursicot claimed he believed...
one of the Seven Little Fortunes from the China Drama Academy at the PekingOpera School, where he studied acrobatics, martial arts, and acting. Chan has...
expert of both Chinese martial arts and Beijing-opera skills, and was apprenticed at the PekingOpera School under the same master, Yu Jim-yuen, as Jackie...
gentlemen), with another important subtype being the wusheng (martial men). Pekingopera troupes will always have a laosheng actor. A xiaosheng actor may be added...
as PekingOpera Thug (uncredited) Hoi Sang Lee as PekingOpera Thug (uncredited) Lau Hok Min as PekingOpera Thug (uncredited) Jackie Chan as Peking Opera...
"Characteristics of PekingOpera Costumes". en.chinaculture.org. Retrieved 2022-06-06. Lee, Young-Suk (2003). "A Study of Stage Costume of PekingOpera". The International...
a dan was a male actor who portrayed a leading female character in Pekingopera. The term "Four Dan" was first coined in the 1920s to refer to four popular...
Taiwanese opera absorbed the styles of formal operas including Pekingopera, Luantan opera (亂彈戲), Siping opera (四平戲), Liyuan opera (梨園戲), and Gaojia opera (高甲戲)...
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