The Emperor then decreed that a group of boys should be trained in the li yuan (“the pear garden”) of the inner court to do choral dances with girls from the palace. Ming Huang, Emperor of the Tang Dynasty (618–907 CE) acquired a concubine name Yang Yuhuan who soon learned to dance many pieces that delighted him. Evidently, the new dances were proven to be popular as they gradually became an artistic achievement enjoyed by high society. An early form of Chinese opera, originating from the Later Zhao Dynasty (319 – 351 CE), was a simple comic drama involving only two performers who are thought to be the forerunners of the comic characters of later Chinese opera.Ī Chinese Comedian (Wellcome Image/ CC BY-SA 4.0 )ĭuring the Han and the Tsin (265 - 420 CE) Dynasties, new dances were introduced. Some Shanxi Opera productions include special effects such as fire-breathing or acrobatic twirling, in addition to the standard operatic acting and singing. Plots in Shanxi Opera often deal with fighting oppression, wars against the northern barbarians, and issues of loyalty. Most forms of Chinese opera owe their performance styles and their plot-lines to the musically fertile Shanxi province. Setting the Scene: Fire-breathing and Fighting OppressionĪccording to Liji (“the Book of Rites”), a collection of texts describing the social forms, administration, and ceremonial rites of the Zhou Dynasty (1046 - 256 BCE), children at the age of thirteen had already learned to dance and sing. However, behind this simplicity lies decades of training, strict visual etiquette, and layers of symbolism. The actors’ costumes and makeup identify standard character types which are immediately recognizable even to foreigners. A table and several chairs can indicate a throne, wall, mountain, or many other locations. Indeed, the staging itself is simple: actions occur on a bare stage except for a backdrop and simple props.
These days, local operas are found in every part of China where they are performed according to local musical styles and in regional languages. It was popular among ordinary people who would watch performances in tearooms, restaurants, and makeshift stages.Ĭhinese opera actor prepares for his entrance at the theatre, 1892.
The roots of Chinese opera go back to the early periods in China and gradually evolving over more than a thousand years, reaching its mature form during the Song Dynasty in the 13th century CE and becoming fashionable in the Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1911 CE). ( Public Domain )Ĭhinese opera is one of the three oldest dramatic art forms in the world-the other two being ancient Greek’s theater and Indian Sanskrit opera. The fact that the Chinese theater is also known by the name guo cui (“quintessence of the nation”) solidifies its prestige as the most important form of entertainment in China where it has been for centuries.įemale musicians performing Chinese classical music.
In “Civilization of China” (1911), Herbert Giles wrote that “for pleasure pure and simple, independent of gains and losses, the theater occupies the warmest place in every Chinaman's heart”.
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