The gem

-- Peiking Opera

国粹——京剧
Chinese traditional
opera is considered
one of the world's
three ancient operas,
together with Greek
tragedy and comedy,
and Indian Sanskrit
opera. Among the
more than 360 ancient
local operas in China,
Peking Opera is known
as China’s national
opera, despite its
comparatively young
200-year history.
 Origin
京剧非“京”
Opera Although it is called Peking Opera, the origins
of Peking Opera are not in Beijing but in the provinces
of Anhui (East China) and Hubei (South-central China).
Its rise is due in great part to the favorable eyes and
patronage of the imperial royalties.
京味道
Peking is a purely Chinese opera form dating back to
the year 1790, when the famous Four Anhui Opera
Troupes first came to Beijing in celebration of the 80th
birthday of Emperor Qianlong (1711-1799) of the Qing
Dynasty (1644-1911). The tour was a hit and the troupes
stayed. In 1828, some famous Hubei Opera Troupe
players came to Beijing.
 The artists of Hubei and Anhui troupes often
jointly performed on the stage and absorbed
repertoires, music, arias and performing
techniques of each other and from other operas
like Kun Qu, Qin Qiang and Bang Zi, as well as the
local dialect and customs of Beijing. Its
repertoires mainly depict fairy tales of preceding
dynasties and important historical events.
湖北，安徽剧团的艺术家经常在舞台
上共同表演和吸收的剧目，在音乐，曲调和表演技
巧方面与其它剧种相互吸收。如昆曲，秦腔和梆子
，以及当地的方言和北京海关的表演技巧 。其剧目
主要描绘古老神话故事和重要的历史事件
 It was after 1840 that Peking Opera formally took shape,
growing even faster during the reign of the Empress
Dowager Cixi (1835-1908), who was an opera aficionado.
Classic Peking Opera repertoires and the names of the
first-generation masters were on the lips of the people in
Beijing, and eventually prevalent around the country.

 京剧是 1840 年以后正式形成了，慈禧太后

（ 1835 至 1908 年）是一个歌剧爱好者，在位期间京
剧发展得更快。经典京剧剧目和第一代大师的名字，
经过人民的传诵，并最终在全国各地普遍存在。
 生
Sheng: main
male role

老生 小生 武生
 旦
Dan: young and beautiful female

正旦（青衣）：泛指旦中正角，不表现确定的性
格特征。
 旦
Dan: young and beautiful
female

花旦：花旦扮演性格活泼明快或泼辣放荡的青年或
中年女性，并常带喜剧色彩。
 旦
Dan: young and beautiful
female
 旦
Dan: young and beautiful
female

老旦：扮演老年妇女。
 旦
Dan: young and beautiful
female

彩旦 : 一作丑旦、丑婆子，秦腔里也称之为媒旦。
扮演女性中的喜剧或闹剧人物，实为女丑，故常由
丑行兼扮
 净
Jing: painted faced male

净 : 主要扮演性格、品质或相貌不同于一般、有突
出特征的男性人物 。
 丑
Chou: clown, male or female
 京剧的乐队
jīnɡ jù de yuè duì
band
京剧的乐队 band
（一）武 wǔ ： connected with the art of attack and
defence in wushu
• 鼓 (ɡǔ) drum
• 板 (bǎn) hardwood clappers
• Gong
大锣 big gong 和小锣 small gong
dà luó xiǎo luó
鼓师：京剧乐队的总指挥是鼓师，俗称“鼓
佬”。
• 铙 (náo) 钹 (bó) cymbal
• 京 (jīnɡ) 胡 (hú), a two-
stringed bowed
instrument with a high
register
京胡 jīng hú 京二胡
• 月琴 Yueqin ( a four -
stringed plucked 小三弦 sān xián, a
instrument with a full - three-stringed
moon - shaped sound
box ).
plucked instrument
•
• Yueqin
• Pipa
• Suona
《武则天》（中间）
凤（ phoenix ）冠 fènɡ ɡuàn ： for queen
， imperial concubine and noblewoman
《
贵
妃
醉
酒
》
老旦凤冠
如意冠
《霸王别姬》
钿冠：穿旗蟒时配戴
王
瑶
卿
饰
《
四
郎
探
母
之
》
萧
太
后
 For General
《
野
猪
林
》
盔之
）林
冲
（
便
衣
帅
夫子盔 （老爷盔）
For crown prince
For female general
王帽：又称皇帽， for king 。
• For official
长方形（ chánɡ fānɡ xínɡ ）
rectangle for civil official

乌纱帽
圆形（ yuán xínɡ ） circular
for comic role
扁担 biǎn dɑn carrying pole for
prime minister

曹操 包公
六角形 liù jiǎo xínɡ hexagon for
chivalrous swordsmen
To Uphold Justice
太监帽 for eunuch
巾： sleeve
文生巾
武生巾
许仙巾
四棱巾
dress
Snakes, especially pythons,
through practice or self-learning ,
can become a dragon.
皇帝的礼服 ceremonial robe
--- 蟒袍 python-embroidered robe
皇帝的便服 (biànfú) informal dress
---- 黄帔
general
寓意性 yù yì xìnɡ implied meaning

草帽
cǎo mào
straw
hat
Meaning
doing the work
conveniently
Insulating the
sunshine
 minority nationality
 只是在服装边角缀上些白色皮毛边
some white fur in the corner of the
dress
或是在帽子上垂下两根毛尾
the feather tail hanging below the hat
 Cape
 斗篷 (dǒupenɡ)
：
 bad weather
 on the way or in
journey
 Get sick
 3.Facial make-up and costumes
 The elaborate and gorgeous facial make-up
and costumes are two distinguished
characteristics of Beijing Opera. The audience
can know what kind of character the role is
from the colors and patterns.
 Red and purple----brave,upright,wise
 Black representative the just men and
uprightness.
 Blue and green---strong and tenacious
 yellow and white----insidious
Thanks~