Diplomats and guests get Peking Opera experience

The theater also produced one of the country's first female Peking Opera troupes, Chongyashe, in 1916.

The 5,000-square-meter theater also hosts exhibitions of historical photos. Visitors can try their hand at stage costumes and makeup with the help of professional performers.

The theater is now run by former TV host Ma Yingying and her company. Ma fell in love with Peking Opera after hosting a TV program about it. She has tried to give it a modern appeal by combining the ancient art form with contemporary elements, hoping to popularize it, especially among the younger generation.