On the things about Chinese acting that is very special is the link between gymnastics and the actor. Nowadays, there are just about as many female actors as male, and they have a good social status. However, this changed in the twentieth century, especially under the People's Republic of China. In the old days just about all performers were male. These classifications are as old as Chinese theater itself, but have become much more complicated with the passage of time. The xiaosheng is the scholar-lover, and he sings in a falsetto voice, sounding a bit like a woman.

The qingyi is the main female character, almost always positive and loving. Peking Opera doesn't subdivide characters by soprano, lancer, bass and so on, but by the type of character. You couldn't get a job as a Peking Opera actor if you hadn't mastered the intricacies of gesture, no matter how good your voice is. As an art, it is well integrated, with story, singing, acting, gesture, costume, stagecraft, gymnastics and makeup all being very important. Peking Opera is an exciting and satisfying form of theater.

How old is chinese opera