Two stools, one on top of the other can indicate a pagoda or a tower one stool on top of a table is a mountain a piece of black and white cloth attached to two bamboo rods is a city wall two yellow flags with a wheel painted in the centre held by two servants show that the person is travelling in a cart. These two objects, and the ways in which they are displayed, can represent a variety of things: the throne of an emperor, a judge's bench, a shop counter, a temple altar, a room in an aristocratic mansion or simply a partitioned room in a humble shack. The main items of furniture are a chair and a table covered with a red embroidered cloth. The props follow a pre-determined pattern. Terra-cotta figurine depicting a comedian (Yang Dynasty) Instead, it attempts to create a very particular kind of imaginary atmosphere of its own. Chinese opera, unlike Western opera, makes no attempt to imitate or even suggest reality through the use of varied stage sets. Let us start by taking a look at the stage and props. In order to appreciate Chinese opera, the uninitiated spectator should leave behind all the concepts he may have about Western opera and enter into this completely new, unimaginable world. The civilian performances, on the other hand, were calm and peaceful and almost always dealt with everyday themes involving happy or unfortunate tales of love.

Military performances included lots of action, fighting and violent scenes of all descriptions. Later, these semi-religious works took on an entirely historical or dramatic role and were classified into wu (military) and wen (civilian). As time went by, sacred rituals became more secular and began to include heroic deeds and victories gained by the forefathers of those in power, as a kind of posthumous homage to the deceased. These shen-hsi (sacred performances) were performed by magician-dancers called wu. At that point, opera was mainly a magical, religious ritual consisting of sacred songs and dances.

It dates back to the early stages of the Hsia dynasty founded around 2200BC. Chinese opera in its most primitive form has been in existence for over four thousand years.

Chinese opera singing style