Xu Chengbei

Researcher at the Institute of Chinese Opera， Chinese National Academy of Arts， member of China Writers Association， and part-time professor at Peking University. He has conducted in-depth research on Peking Opera culture and Beijing culture， and has published nearly a hundred works of various kinds.

Han Wu

A well-known painter and member of China Artists Association. He is proficient in creating comic strips and traditional Chinese paintings. The characters， animals， flowers， birds， and landscape in his paintings feature the combination of form and spirit， and a rigorous painting style with unique characteristics. He holds a high reputation both at home and abroad.

This book introduces young readers to a wealth of knowledge about Peking Opera in an easily understandable way. The book is an introduction to the basic elements， characteristics of stage art， training of actors， and future development of Peking Opera. It features vivid and lively language accompanied by abundant pictures and illustrations.

The Story of Peking Opera

Xu Chengbei Han Wu

Changjiang Literature and Art Publishing House

June 2021

30.00 （CNY）

“The master teaches the trade， but the apprentice’s skill is self-made. （A man can lead a horse to the water but cannot make him drink.）” This is an old and very true saying.

Whatever you do， a good master is indispensable. A good master performs his role by teaching the easiest and most effective ways. You may think that the master is the teacher in charge of a class and the course teacher， but I think the master is first and foremost your “textbook”. Imagine why you have to learn arithmetic first in primary school？ Why not learn algebra， geometry and trigonometry that we learn in middle school？ Why not go to college to study calculus？ You would be so confused if you had to learn algebra， geometry， and trigonometry first！ How can you master it if you are confused？

Based on what I know， the “first-grade arithmetic” in Peking opera should be a monkey show. If you don’t believe it， follow me to the theater.

The curtain is raised –

Water Curtain Cave at Mount Huaguo. You are not satisfied with the simple setting， because the kindergarten teacher had already told you the story of “Journey to the West”. The teacher had given a vivid description of the sky， the land， the brilliant clouds and the fruit trees there. However， the stage in front of you is only a stone scene made of a few pieces of paper， with a few clouds painted on the backdrop. You can’t accept it： it’s too simple and crude！

The play waits for no one. There is no time for your contemplation.

After a deafening sound of gongs and drums， two rows of actors playing the little monkeys come onstage， each holding a big flag in their hands. They form a splay shape， and stand still， as if in waiting.

The Monkey King in the “Havoc in Heavenly Palace”. Your eyes are glued to the stage， as if you are also waiting for something， while your dissatisfaction vanishes.

There is another burst of deafening sounds of gongs and drums. A husky actor comes on to the stage quickly. He wears a purple crown， with two long pheasant tail feathers on his hat， dressed in a yellow robe. He bends down， covering his face with his wide sleeves， and hurries to the stage. You are anxious to see what he looks like， but he refuses to drop his sleeves. He just shakes his body to the left and then swings his shoulders to the right， without revealing his true features. He is so bad！

After the third round of gongs and drums being played， he suddenly drops his sleeves and turns his hairy face towards you. It turns out that in the middle of the face is an upturned “red gourd”， carved into it are eyes， a nose， and a mouth in gold and black. Outside the gourd is brown monkey fur. Before you can size him up and down， this “big monkey” blinks its eyes continuously. It is really wonderful！ In an instant， he scratches his head again， without a touch of solemnity！

A cheer goes up from the audience： “The Monkey King --- The Monkey King –”