Roles in Peking Opera


Updated: 2007-05-31 09:41

Unlike European operas, which concentrate on usually one kind of performance in one stage representation, Peking Opera integrates music, singing, dance, costume art, makeup, acting and acrobatics into a unique whole.

Peking Opera Roles include sheng (male role), dan (female role), jing (painted-face male role), and chou (comedic male role), distinguished on the basis of sex, age, and personality.

Sheng (male role) is divided into lao sheng, xiao sheng and wu sheng, respectively representing a decent middle-aged man, a young man, and a male role who can fight.

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Xiao Sheng

Wu Sheng

Lao Sheng


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