Enter stage right

A new film shows how Peking Opera grew from a mix of styles to become the cultural force it is today, Li Yingxue reports.

To celebrate the 80th birthday of emperor Qianlong (1711-99) during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), some Anhui Opera troupes traveled to perform in Beijing, where they became popular.

They remained in the capital, absorbing the acting styles of other types of opera performed in the city, before developing the genre of Peking Opera as we know it today.