The origins of Chinese Opera date back to several millennia ago.

To please the
spirits during their religious ceremonies, the Chinese people would engage in singing and
dancing.
In the Han Dynasty (206 BC – 208 AD), story telling and dance were mixed
together to form a basic form of musical theatre. Traditional folktales that taught life
lessons were played out. Music, dance, speech, make-up, and costumes made up the
opera. These stories were told on the imperial courts for entertainment.
During the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD), the “Pear Garden” was formed. It was
the first national opera troupe, and has since become one of the most popular forms of
entertainment in the country.
The singing and acting of Chinese Opera further progressed in the Zhou Dynasty
(683-705), when priests and oracles chanted mimes to express their religious beliefs to
worshippers.
Then, in the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD), a square stage enclosed by railings
was developed for the Chinese Opera. Opera groups made up of family members traveled
from place to place to perform. Child actors were trained from a young age to be a
particular role. Women were banned from the stage and female impersonators took their
position.
During the Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368 AD), evolutional changes were brought into
opera and Chinese Opera transitioned to the Golden Age of Classical Opera.
Finally, during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and the Qing Dynasty (1644-
1911), the northern traditional singing and drama style from Shanxi was combined with
music from a southern form of Chinese opera called Kunqu.