Peking opera of China is a national treasure with a history of 200 years. In the 55th year of the reign of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty(1790),the four big Huiban opera Troupes entered the capital and combined with Kunqu opera, Yiyang opera, Hanju opera and Luantan in Beijing's thearetical circle of the time. Through a period of more than half a century of combination and integration of various kinds of opera there evolved the present Peking opera, the biggest kind of opera in China, whose richness of repertoire, great number of artists of performance and of audiences, and profound influence are incomparable in China.

Peking opera is a synthesis of stylized action, singing, dialogue and mime, acrobatic fighting and dancing to represent a story or depict different characters and their feelings of gladness, anger, sorrow, happiness, surprise, fear and sadness. In Peking opera there are four main types of roles: sheng (male) dan (young female), jing( painted face,male), and chou (clown, male or female). The characters may be loyal or treacherous, beautiful or ugly, good or bad, their images being vividly manifested.

The repertoire of Peking opera is mainly engaged in fairy tales of preceding dynasties, important historical events, emperors, ministers and generals, geniuses and great beauties, from the ancient times to Yao, Shun, Yu, the Spring and Autumn Period, the Warring States Period and the dynasties of Qin, Han, Sui, Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming, Qing.

The music of Peking opera is that of the "plate and cavity style". Its melody with harmonious rhythms is graceful and pleasing to the ears. The melody may be classified into two groups: "Xipi" and "erhong". The performance is accompanied by a tune played on wind instruments, percussion instruments and stringed instruments, the chief musical instruments being jinghu, yueqin, Sanxian, suona horn, flute drum, big-gong, cymbals, small-gong, etc.

The costumes in Peking opera are graceful, magnificent, elegant and brilliant, most of which are made in handicraft embroidery. As the traditional Chinese pattern are adopted, the costumes are of a high aesthetic value.
T
he types of facial make-ups in Peking opera are rich and various, depicting different characters and remarkable images, therefore they are highly appreciated. Moreover there are numerous fixed editions of facial make-up.


京剧

京剧是中国的国粹，迄今已有200多年的历史。清乾隆五十五年（1790年），四大徽调班社陆续进京，并与北京戏曲界的昆曲、弋阳调、汉调逐渐融合，经过150多年的融合，吸收了一些民间曲调，最终演变出现在的京剧，成为中国最大的派系，无论是剧目、演员和观众规模，还是所产生的影响力在中国都是无与伦比的。

京剧集合动作、歌唱、对话和独白、杂技、舞蹈为一体，讲述一个故事或刻画不同人物并表现他们的情感，如开心、愤怒、伤心、喜悦、惊奇、害怕和悲痛。京剧里一般有四类角色：生（男子）、旦（青年女子）、净（花脸，男）、丑（小丑，男女皆有）。无论忠奸、美丑或是好坏，都能在京剧得以生动地表现。

京剧的剧目多以前朝的民间故事、历史时间、历代皇帝大臣或才子佳人的故事为题材，从远古到尧、舜、禹，到春秋、战国时代，还有秦、汉、唐、宋、元、明、清各朝。

京剧的曲调基本上属于"板腔体"，音调和谐，悦耳动听。唱腔可分为两组："二黄"和"西皮"。伴奏乐器包括管乐器、打击乐器和弦乐器，主要有京胡、月琴、三弦，还有唢呐、笛、鼓、大锣、铙钹、小锣等。

京剧的戏服色彩鲜艳，工艺精细，大多经过手工编制而成。在服饰设计开始采用中国传统模式之后，京剧的戏服也相对具有很高的欣赏价值。
京剧脸谱样式多样，表现丰富，刻画出性格各异的人物形象，因此受到高度的赞赏。另外，脸谱还有几个固定的表现模式，但是形式可以丰富多样。