Passion for opera inspires weatherman

In January when Liu Xinran, 32, quit his job as an administrative clerk at the Beijing Meteorological Bureau to devote more time to play nan dan - men playing women's roles in Peking Opera - some people thought he was crazy.

After all, he was giving up an iron rice bowl for a career in a field where most start while still children.

But Liu's choice has been vindicated after being signed on by a Beijing theater company and on Oct 20, he will play the Luoshen Goddess in Mei Lan Fang Hua, a work reflecting the style of the Mei Lanfang School of Peking Opera.