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Peking Opera

Ⅳ-28Traditional OperaTianjinBatch 1 (2006)Newly Added ItemFeatured

01 · Historical Records

Peking opera is divided into the "Beijing school" (jingpai) and the "Shanghai school" (haipai). Many outstanding performers appeared in different periods, such as Cheng Changgeng, Yu Sansheng, Zhang Erkui, Mei Qiaoling, Tan Xinpei, Sun Juxian, Wang Guifen, Liu Hongsheng, Tian Guifeng, Yu Ziyun, Chen Delin and Wang Yaoqing in the late Qing dynasty, and Yu Shuyan, Yan Jupeng, Gao Qingkui, Ma Lianliang, Yang Baosen, Mei Lanfang, Cheng Yanqiu, Xun Huisheng, Shang Xiaoyun, Zhou Xinfang and Jin Shaoshan during the Republic of China period.

02 · Core Techniques & Process

Beginning in the fifty-fifth year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing dynasty (1790), the four great Anhui troupes that had originally performed in the south — Sanqing, Sixi, Chuntai and Hechun — entered Beijing one after another. They collaborated with Han tune performers from Hubei, while at the same time taking over part of the repertoire, the tunes and the performance methods of Kunqu and Qinqiang, and they also absorbed a number of local folk tunes. Through continual exchange and fusion, Peking opera was finally formed. In literature, performance, music, stage art and every other respect, Peking opera has its own set of standardised artistic expression conventions. The vocal style of Peking opera belongs to the ban-shi (metrical mode) system, with erhuang and xipi as its principal melodic registers. Siping diao, fansiping diao and Han diao are all subordinate to erhuang, while nanbangzi and wadia diao are subordinate to xipi. The melody of erhuang is smooth and even, its rhythm relaxed and broad, and its singing rich, full and weighty; xipi has a melody of larger rise and fall, a tighter rhythm, and a vocal style that is bright and flowing. Peking opera accompaniment is divided into two great categories, the wen chang (the "string" section) and the wu chang (the "percussion" section). The wen chang uses huqin (jinghu), jing erhu, yueqin, xianzi, dizi and suona, with the huqin as the principal lead instrument; the wu chang is led by drum and clapper, with small gong and large gong following. Within each role type there are finer subdivisions; the dan roles, for instance, are divided into qingyi (the virtuous woman), huadan (the young coquette), daomadan (the female warrior), wudan (the martial woman) and laodan (the elderly woman). The basis of these subdivisions lies not only in the natural attributes of a character but, more importantly, in the character's personality traits and in the attitude of praise or censure the creator holds toward the character. Each role type has its own set of performance conventions, and the four skills of singing, speaking, acting and combat each have their own distinctive character. Peking opera takes historical stories as its principal performance content. It has roughly more than thirteen hundred traditional plays, of which three to four hundred or more are performed regularly; among them Yuzhou Feng (Cosmic Edge), Yutangchun (Spring in the Jade Hall), Changbanpo (The Changban Slope), Qunyinghui (Meeting of Heroes), Dayusha (The Fisherman's Revenge), Kongchengji (The Empty Fort Strategy), Guifei Zuijiu (The Drunken Concubine), Sanchakou (At the Forked Crossroads), Yezhulin (The Wild Boar Forest), Erjingong (Second Entry into the Palace), Shiyuzhuo (Picking Up the Jade Bracelet), Tiaohuache (Lifting the Decorated Cart), Sijinshi (The Four Scholars), Sousu Jiugu (Searching for and Saving the Orphan), Bawang Bieji (Farewell My Concubine) and Silang Tanmu (The Fourth Son Visits His Mother) are household names, familiar to audiences throughout the country. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, Peking opera adapted, transferred and newly created a number of historical plays and modern-themed works, among the more important of which are Jiang Xianghe (The General and the Minister Make Peace), Mu Guiying Takes Command, The Yang Family Women Warriors, The Dismissal of Hai Rui, Cao Cao and Yang Xiu, Shajiabang, The Red Lantern, Taking Tiger Mountain by Strategy, Dainuo and Rickshaw Boy. Peking opera is disseminated across the country, exerts a far-reaching influence, and is known as the "national opera" (guju). It travels to all parts of the world and has become an important means of introducing and disseminating traditional Chinese culture. The Peking opera performance system named after Mei Lanfang is regarded as a representative of the Eastern system of dramatic performance; together with the Stanislavski and Brecht systems it is hailed as one of the world's three great performance systems. Peking opera is an important form of expression of China's national traditional culture, and many of its artistic elements serve as symbolic signs of traditional Chinese culture.

Yuzhou Feng (Cosmic Edge)

Peking opera takes historical stories as its principal performance content. It has roughly more than thirteen hundred traditional plays, of which three to four hundred or more are performed regularly; among them Yuzhou Feng (Cosmic Edge), Yutangchun (Spring in the Jade Hall), Changbanpo (The Changban Slope), Qunyinghui (Meeting of Heroes), Dayusha (The Fisherman's Revenge), Kongchengji (The Empty Fort Strategy), Guifei Zuijiu (The Drunken Concubine), Sanchakou (At the Forked Crossroads), Yezhulin (The Wild Boar Forest), Erjingong (Second Entry into the Palace), Shiyuzhuo (Picking Up the Jade Bracelet), Tiaohuache (Lifting the Decorated Cart), Sijinshi (The Four Scholars), Sousu Jiugu (Searching for and Saving the Orphan), Bawang Bieji (Farewell My Concubine) and Silang Tanmu (The Fourth Son Visits His Mother) are household names, familiar to audiences throughout the country.

Yutangchun (Spring in the Jade Hall)

Peking opera takes historical stories as its principal performance content. It has roughly more than thirteen hundred traditional plays, of which three to four hundred or more are performed regularly; among them Yuzhou Feng (Cosmic Edge), Yutangchun (Spring in the Jade Hall), Changbanpo (The Changban Slope), Qunyinghui (Meeting of Heroes), Dayusha (The Fisherman's Revenge), Kongchengji (The Empty Fort Strategy), Guifei Zuijiu (The Drunken Concubine), Sanchakou (At the Forked Crossroads), Yezhulin (The Wild Boar Forest), Erjingong (Second Entry into the Palace), Shiyuzhuo (Picking Up the Jade Bracelet), Tiaohuache (Lifting the Decorated Cart), Sijinshi (The Four Scholars), Sousu Jiugu (Searching for and Saving the Orphan), Bawang Bieji (Farewell My Concubine) and Silang Tanmu (The Fourth Son Visits His Mother) are household names, familiar to audiences throughout the country.

Changbanpo (The Changban Slope)

Peking opera takes historical stories as its principal performance content. It has roughly more than thirteen hundred traditional plays, of which three to four hundred or more are performed regularly; among them Yuzhou Feng (Cosmic Edge), Yutangchun (Spring in the Jade Hall), Changbanpo (The Changban Slope), Qunyinghui (Meeting of Heroes), Dayusha (The Fisherman's Revenge), Kongchengji (The Empty Fort Strategy), Guifei Zuijiu (The Drunken Concubine), Sanchakou (At the Forked Crossroads), Yezhulin (The Wild Boar Forest), Erjingong (Second Entry into the Palace), Shiyuzhuo (Picking Up the Jade Bracelet), Tiaohuache (Lifting the Decorated Cart), Sijinshi (The Four Scholars), Sousu Jiugu (Searching for and Saving the Orphan), Bawang Bieji (Farewell My Concubine) and Silang Tanmu (The Fourth Son Visits His Mother) are household names, familiar to audiences throughout the country.

Qunyinghui (Meeting of Heroes)

Peking opera takes historical stories as its principal performance content. It has roughly more than thirteen hundred traditional plays, of which three to four hundred or more are performed regularly; among them Yuzhou Feng (Cosmic Edge), Yutangchun (Spring in the Jade Hall), Changbanpo (The Changban Slope), Qunyinghui (Meeting of Heroes), Dayusha (The Fisherman's Revenge), Kongchengji (The Empty Fort Strategy), Guifei Zuijiu (The Drunken Concubine), Sanchakou (At the Forked Crossroads), Yezhulin (The Wild Boar Forest), Erjingong (Second Entry into the Palace), Shiyuzhuo (Picking Up the Jade Bracelet), Tiaohuache (Lifting the Decorated Cart), Sijinshi (The Four Scholars), Sousu Jiugu (Searching for and Saving the Orphan), Bawang Bieji (Farewell My Concubine) and Silang Tanmu (The Fourth Son Visits His Mother) are household names, familiar to audiences throughout the country.

Dayusha (The Fisherman's Revenge)

Peking opera takes historical stories as its principal performance content. It has roughly more than thirteen hundred traditional plays, of which three to four hundred or more are performed regularly; among them Yuzhou Feng (Cosmic Edge), Yutangchun (Spring in the Jade Hall), Changbanpo (The Changban Slope), Qunyinghui (Meeting of Heroes), Dayusha (The Fisherman's Revenge), Kongchengji (The Empty Fort Strategy), Guifei Zuijiu (The Drunken Concubine), Sanchakou (At the Forked Crossroads), Yezhulin (The Wild Boar Forest), Erjingong (Second Entry into the Palace), Shiyuzhuo (Picking Up the Jade Bracelet), Tiaohuache (Lifting the Decorated Cart), Sijinshi (The Four Scholars), Sousu Jiugu (Searching for and Saving the Orphan), Bawang Bieji (Farewell My Concubine) and Silang Tanmu (The Fourth Son Visits His Mother) are household names, familiar to audiences throughout the country.

Kongchengji (The Empty Fort Strategy)

Peking opera takes historical stories as its principal performance content. It has roughly more than thirteen hundred traditional plays, of which three to four hundred or more are performed regularly; among them Yuzhou Feng (Cosmic Edge), Yutangchun (Spring in the Jade Hall), Changbanpo (The Changban Slope), Qunyinghui (Meeting of Heroes), Dayusha (The Fisherman's Revenge), Kongchengji (The Empty Fort Strategy), Guifei Zuijiu (The Drunken Concubine), Sanchakou (At the Forked Crossroads), Yezhulin (The Wild Boar Forest), Erjingong (Second Entry into the Palace), Shiyuzhuo (Picking Up the Jade Bracelet), Tiaohuache (Lifting the Decorated Cart), Sijinshi (The Four Scholars), Sousu Jiugu (Searching for and Saving the Orphan), Bawang Bieji (Farewell My Concubine) and Silang Tanmu (The Fourth Son Visits His Mother) are household names, familiar to audiences throughout the country.

Guifei Zuijiu (The Drunken Concubine)

Peking opera takes historical stories as its principal performance content. It has roughly more than thirteen hundred traditional plays, of which three to four hundred or more are performed regularly; among them Yuzhou Feng (Cosmic Edge), Yutangchun (Spring in the Jade Hall), Changbanpo (The Changban Slope), Qunyinghui (Meeting of Heroes), Dayusha (The Fisherman's Revenge), Kongchengji (The Empty Fort Strategy), Guifei Zuijiu (The Drunken Concubine), Sanchakou (At the Forked Crossroads), Yezhulin (The Wild Boar Forest), Erjingong (Second Entry into the Palace), Shiyuzhuo (Picking Up the Jade Bracelet), Tiaohuache (Lifting the Decorated Cart), Sijinshi (The Four Scholars), Sousu Jiugu (Searching for and Saving the Orphan), Bawang Bieji (Farewell My Concubine) and Silang Tanmu (The Fourth Son Visits His Mother) are household names, familiar to audiences throughout the country.

Sanchakou (At the Forked Crossroads)

Peking opera takes historical stories as its principal performance content. It has roughly more than thirteen hundred traditional plays, of which three to four hundred or more are performed regularly; among them Yuzhou Feng (Cosmic Edge), Yutangchun (Spring in the Jade Hall), Changbanpo (The Changban Slope), Qunyinghui (Meeting of Heroes), Dayusha (The Fisherman's Revenge), Kongchengji (The Empty Fort Strategy), Guifei Zuijiu (The Drunken Concubine), Sanchakou (At the Forked Crossroads), Yezhulin (The Wild Boar Forest), Erjingong (Second Entry into the Palace), Shiyuzhuo (Picking Up the Jade Bracelet), Tiaohuache (Lifting the Decorated Cart), Sijinshi (The Four Scholars), Sousu Jiugu (Searching for and Saving the Orphan), Bawang Bieji (Farewell My Concubine) and Silang Tanmu (The Fourth Son Visits His Mother) are household names, familiar to audiences throughout the country.

Yezhulin (The Wild Boar Forest)

Peking opera takes historical stories as its principal performance content. It has roughly more than thirteen hundred traditional plays, of which three to four hundred or more are performed regularly; among them Yuzhou Feng (Cosmic Edge), Yutangchun (Spring in the Jade Hall), Changbanpo (The Changban Slope), Qunyinghui (Meeting of Heroes), Dayusha (The Fisherman's Revenge), Kongchengji (The Empty Fort Strategy), Guifei Zuijiu (The Drunken Concubine), Sanchakou (At the Forked Crossroads), Yezhulin (The Wild Boar Forest), Erjingong (Second Entry into the Palace), Shiyuzhuo (Picking Up the Jade Bracelet), Tiaohuache (Lifting the Decorated Cart), Sijinshi (The Four Scholars), Sousu Jiugu (Searching for and Saving the Orphan), Bawang Bieji (Farewell My Concubine) and Silang Tanmu (The Fourth Son Visits His Mother) are household names, familiar to audiences throughout the country.

Erjingong (Second Entry into the Palace)

Peking opera takes historical stories as its principal performance content. It has roughly more than thirteen hundred traditional plays, of which three to four hundred or more are performed regularly; among them Yuzhou Feng (Cosmic Edge), Yutangchun (Spring in the Jade Hall), Changbanpo (The Changban Slope), Qunyinghui (Meeting of Heroes), Dayusha (The Fisherman's Revenge), Kongchengji (The Empty Fort Strategy), Guifei Zuijiu (The Drunken Concubine), Sanchakou (At the Forked Crossroads), Yezhulin (The Wild Boar Forest), Erjingong (Second Entry into the Palace), Shiyuzhuo (Picking Up the Jade Bracelet), Tiaohuache (Lifting the Decorated Cart), Sijinshi (The Four Scholars), Sousu Jiugu (Searching for and Saving the Orphan), Bawang Bieji (Farewell My Concubine) and Silang Tanmu (The Fourth Son Visits His Mother) are household names, familiar to audiences throughout the country.

Shiyuzhuo (Picking Up the Jade Bracelet)

Peking opera takes historical stories as its principal performance content. It has roughly more than thirteen hundred traditional plays, of which three to four hundred or more are performed regularly; among them Yuzhou Feng (Cosmic Edge), Yutangchun (Spring in the Jade Hall), Changbanpo (The Changban Slope), Qunyinghui (Meeting of Heroes), Dayusha (The Fisherman's Revenge), Kongchengji (The Empty Fort Strategy), Guifei Zuijiu (The Drunken Concubine), Sanchakou (At the Forked Crossroads), Yezhulin (The Wild Boar Forest), Erjingong (Second Entry into the Palace), Shiyuzhuo (Picking Up the Jade Bracelet), Tiaohuache (Lifting the Decorated Cart), Sijinshi (The Four Scholars), Sousu Jiugu (Searching for and Saving the Orphan), Bawang Bieji (Farewell My Concubine) and Silang Tanmu (The Fourth Son Visits His Mother) are household names, familiar to audiences throughout the country.

Tiaohuache (Lifting the Decorated Cart)

Peking opera takes historical stories as its principal performance content. It has roughly more than thirteen hundred traditional plays, of which three to four hundred or more are performed regularly; among them Yuzhou Feng (Cosmic Edge), Yutangchun (Spring in the Jade Hall), Changbanpo (The Changban Slope), Qunyinghui (Meeting of Heroes), Dayusha (The Fisherman's Revenge), Kongchengji (The Empty Fort Strategy), Guifei Zuijiu (The Drunken Concubine), Sanchakou (At the Forked Crossroads), Yezhulin (The Wild Boar Forest), Erjingong (Second Entry into the Palace), Shiyuzhuo (Picking Up the Jade Bracelet), Tiaohuache (Lifting the Decorated Cart), Sijinshi (The Four Scholars), Sousu Jiugu (Searching for and Saving the Orphan), Bawang Bieji (Farewell My Concubine) and Silang Tanmu (The Fourth Son Visits His Mother) are household names, familiar to audiences throughout the country.

Sijinshi (The Four Scholars)

Peking opera takes historical stories as its principal performance content. It has roughly more than thirteen hundred traditional plays, of which three to four hundred or more are performed regularly; among them Yuzhou Feng (Cosmic Edge), Yutangchun (Spring in the Jade Hall), Changbanpo (The Changban Slope), Qunyinghui (Meeting of Heroes), Dayusha (The Fisherman's Revenge), Kongchengji (The Empty Fort Strategy), Guifei Zuijiu (The Drunken Concubine), Sanchakou (At the Forked Crossroads), Yezhulin (The Wild Boar Forest), Erjingong (Second Entry into the Palace), Shiyuzhuo (Picking Up the Jade Bracelet), Tiaohuache (Lifting the Decorated Cart), Sijinshi (The Four Scholars), Sousu Jiugu (Searching for and Saving the Orphan), Bawang Bieji (Farewell My Concubine) and Silang Tanmu (The Fourth Son Visits His Mother) are household names, familiar to audiences throughout the country.

Sousu Jiugu (Searching for and Saving the Orphan)

Peking opera takes historical stories as its principal performance content. It has roughly more than thirteen hundred traditional plays, of which three to four hundred or more are performed regularly; among them Yuzhou Feng (Cosmic Edge), Yutangchun (Spring in the Jade Hall), Changbanpo (The Changban Slope), Qunyinghui (Meeting of Heroes), Dayusha (The Fisherman's Revenge), Kongchengji (The Empty Fort Strategy), Guifei Zuijiu (The Drunken Concubine), Sanchakou (At the Forked Crossroads), Yezhulin (The Wild Boar Forest), Erjingong (Second Entry into the Palace), Shiyuzhuo (Picking Up the Jade Bracelet), Tiaohuache (Lifting the Decorated Cart), Sijinshi (The Four Scholars), Sousu Jiugu (Searching for and Saving the Orphan), Bawang Bieji (Farewell My Concubine) and Silang Tanmu (The Fourth Son Visits His Mother) are household names, familiar to audiences throughout the country.

Bawang Bieji (Farewell My Concubine)

Peking opera takes historical stories as its principal performance content. It has roughly more than thirteen hundred traditional plays, of which three to four hundred or more are performed regularly; among them Yuzhou Feng (Cosmic Edge), Yutangchun (Spring in the Jade Hall), Changbanpo (The Changban Slope), Qunyinghui (Meeting of Heroes), Dayusha (The Fisherman's Revenge), Kongchengji (The Empty Fort Strategy), Guifei Zuijiu (The Drunken Concubine), Sanchakou (At the Forked Crossroads), Yezhulin (The Wild Boar Forest), Erjingong (Second Entry into the Palace), Shiyuzhuo (Picking Up the Jade Bracelet), Tiaohuache (Lifting the Decorated Cart), Sijinshi (The Four Scholars), Sousu Jiugu (Searching for and Saving the Orphan), Bawang Bieji (Farewell My Concubine) and Silang Tanmu (The Fourth Son Visits His Mother) are household names, familiar to audiences throughout the country.

Silang Tanmu (The Fourth Son Visits His Mother)

Peking opera takes historical stories as its principal performance content. It has roughly more than thirteen hundred traditional plays, of which three to four hundred or more are performed regularly; among them Yuzhou Feng (Cosmic Edge), Yutangchun (Spring in the Jade Hall), Changbanpo (The Changban Slope), Qunyinghui (Meeting of Heroes), Dayusha (The Fisherman's Revenge), Kongchengji (The Empty Fort Strategy), Guifei Zuijiu (The Drunken Concubine), Sanchakou (At the Forked Crossroads), Yezhulin (The Wild Boar Forest), Erjingong (Second Entry into the Palace), Shiyuzhuo (Picking Up the Jade Bracelet), Tiaohuache (Lifting the Decorated Cart), Sijinshi (The Four Scholars), Sousu Jiugu (Searching for and Saving the Orphan), Bawang Bieji (Farewell My Concubine) and Silang Tanmu (The Fourth Son Visits His Mother) are household names, familiar to audiences throughout the country.

03 · Regional Records & Related Items

Peking opera, also called pingju or jingxi, is the operatic genre with the greatest influence in China; it is distributed with Beijing as its centre and extends throughout the country. The role types of Peking opera are divided into sheng, dan, jing, chou, za, wu and liu, the last three of which no longer have dedicated lines of performers established for them.

Other submitting regions for the same item: Peking Opera · Peking Opera · Peking Opera · Peking Opera · Peking Opera · Peking Opera · Peking Opera · Peking Opera.

04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding

However, in recent years, as society has changed, the aesthetic distance between the art of Peking opera and contemporary people has gradually widened, audiences have dropped sharply, and the repertoire being performed has shrunk; how to achieve the protection and revitalisation of Peking opera has become an urgent problem awaiting solution. Zhang Youlin (as recorded in the official archive of the associated inheritor): Male, of the Han ethnicity, born in 1953, native of Wen'an, Hebei. His training is solid, and he has made achievements both in armed costume and in unarmed combat; he fairly comprehensively inherited his father's representative plays Jinchi Dapeng (The Golden-Winged Roc), Ma Chao, Wu Song and Yandang Shan (Mount Yandang), and passed them on to a number of outstanding young martial male actors. His performance frame is elegant, and he is able to use superb technique to portray a character's psychology to just the right degree and to shape the character image. His representative works include Jinchi Dapeng (The Golden-Winged Roc), Wugong Ling (The Centipede Ridge) and Zhan Jizhou (Fighting at Jizhou). A representative inheritor of Peking opera in the second batch of national-level intangible cultural heritage projects, a national first-class performer and a winner of the seventh China Drama Plum Blossom Award. Li Rongwei (as recorded in the official archive of the associated inheritor): Male, of the Hui ethnicity, born in 1926, native of Beijing. A representative inheritor of Peking opera in the second batch of national-level intangible cultural heritage projects, a Peking opera performing artist and a national first-class performer. From 1987 until the present, Li Rongwei has been devoted to taking apprentices and transmitting the art, giving demonstration performances and related work. He is skilled in the tongchui painted-face role: his singing carries the spirit of the tongchui painted face, while his performance movements show the accomplishment of the jiazihualian (framework painted-face), forming a distinctive performance style of his own. His representative works include Yezhulin (The Wild Boar Forest), Bawang Bieji (Farewell My Concubine) and Miluo Nuchao (The Waves of Fury on the Miluo). In 2010 he was awarded the "Lifetime Achievement Award", the highest honour in the Chinese Peking opera world.

05 · Associated Representative Bearers

Representative bearers recorded under this item, organized by national nomination batch:

06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography

  1. Peking Opera (Tianjin) · China ICH Official Project Archive
  2. Zhang Youlin · National Representative Bearer Archive
  3. Li Rongwei · National Representative Bearer Archive

Sources

China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)

Read the official ihchina.cn record ↗

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