Beijing Opera is a form of traditional Chinese theatre which combines music, vocal performance, mime, dance, and acrobatics. It arose in the late 18th century and became fully developed and recognized by the mid-19th century. The form was extremely popular in the Qing dynasty court and has come to be regarded as one of the cultural treasures of China.

Are you interested in Beijing Opera performances?
HERE comes the chance!
Peking University will invite international students to enjoy two Beijing opera performances-- Pick up the Jade Bracelet and Monkey King Makes Three Attempts to Borrow the Plantain Fan--on the evening of March 31^st , at Beijing Huguang Guild Hall.
Seats limited, first come, first served.

Sign-up Time: March 28^th -29^th 8:30-11:30 13:00-17:00
Venue: Room 330, New Sun Student Center

Performance Time: March 31^st evening
Get on the bus at 16:30, March 31st

What to Know:
Beijing Opera is also called Oriental opera, and it is genuine Chinese national treasure. It is named Beijing Opera because it was formed in Beijing. Beijing Opera, more than 200 years old, was born when the 'Four Great Anhui Troupes' brought Anhui opera, or what is now called Huiju, in 1790 to Beijing, for the eightieth birthday of the Qianlong Emperor.
The roles on the Beijing Opera stage fall into four major roles---Sheng (生), Dan (旦), Jing (净) and Chou (丑) . Sheng refers to men, Dan refers to women, Jing refers to painted-face role, also known as Hualian (花脸), and Chou refers to painted-face role, also known as Xiao Hualian (小花脸).


Pick up the Jade Bracelet
Fu Peng, the hereditary commander in Shaanxi Province, came to Sunjia Village by occasionally. He met a widow’s daughter Sun Yujiao and they fell in love with each other. Fu Peng dropped his jade bracelet on the ground on purpose, and Sun picked it up, indicating that she accepted his love. Matchmaker Mrs. Liu saw this scene, so she went to visit Sun Yujiao and helped them. Fu and Sun happily got married.

Monkey King Makes Three Attempts to Borrow the Plantain Fan
The Tang Priest and his three disciples, Monkey King (Wukong）, Pig (Bajie) and Friar Sand, were heading towards the Western Heaven. Gradually they began to feel hotter and hotter in the warm air. It was very strange, because it already entered into autumn. Later they learnt that the Fiery Mountains were just ahead of them. The mountains had a circumference of 800 li, on which not a blade of grass could grow. A young man selling cakes told them that it was not possible to cross the mountains without a special plantain fan which could only be borrowed from Princess Iron Fan.
After having made arrangements for his master, Monkey King left for the Plantain Cave to meet Princess Iron Fan. The princess was the wife of the Bull Demon King and the Red Boy’s mother. Some time ago, Red Boy had tried to eat the Tang Priest and Monkey King had subdued him. Hence Princess Iron Fan hated Monkey King and refused to lend the fan to him. Instead she blew Monkey King right out of sight with a single wave of her plantain fan. Bodhisattva Lingji heard about this and gave Monkey King a Wind-Fixing Pill.
Monkey King came to borrow the magic fan for the second time. With the Wind-Fixing Pill in his mouth, Monkey King could not be moved no matter how hard the princess waved the fan. The princess hurried back to the cave and had the doors closed tightly. However, Monkey King turned himself into an insect and got into the princess’s belly when she was drinking tea. The princess could not stand the pain, finally she agreed to lend the fan to Monkey King, but she actually gave him a false one.
The third time Monkey King came for the fan he decided to turn himself into the Bull Demon King. He got the fan. Upon hearing of this trickery, the real Bull Demon King came hurriedly chasing after Monkey King. They engaged in a fierce struggle. Soon Pig and Friar Sand came to Monkey King’s help and forced the Bull Demon King to show his true colors. With the plantain fan, Monkey King put out the fire. The master and his three disciples continued their journey to the West to fetch scriptures.