Ping opera

Not to be confused with Peking opera, which used to be called Pingju.

Pingju or Ping opera (Chinese: 评剧; pinyin: píngjù) is a form of Chinese opera from northern China.

Xin Fengxia in the pingju Flowers as Matchmakers

History

Pingju originated in Tangshan, Hebei, near the city of Tianjin.^[1] Among all China's regional operas, it was the most famous in the Republican period for its passionate performances and romantic plots.^[2]

Movies based upon and incorporating Pingju include Zhang Shichuan's 1936 Red Begonia (t 海棠紅, s 海棠红, Hǎitáng Hóng), starring Bai Yushuang.^[3]

A Pingju performance in Tianjin

Performers

Bai Yushuang was known as the "Queen of Pingju". Other famed performers include Xin Fengxia^[4] and her mentor Hua Furong.^[5]