A great night in the theater

　　A performer in 18 Arhats Fighing the Monkey King PHOTO BY GUO YINGGUANG

　　THERE can be few more beautiful places in China to see Peking Opera than the wonderful Prince Gong’s Mansion (恭王府). In this old wooden theater you can imagine what it was like for an imperial (皇家的) family to watch a show hundreds of years ago.

　　On the stage in front of me is a man in colored face paint singing, dancing and performing acrobatics (杂耍). I am watching 18 Arhats (罗汉) Fighting the Monkey King. It is the first time I have seen Peking Opera. I am amazed by the energy of the performances.

　　I can only understand a little of what I am hearing and seeing because I don’t speak Chinese. I just sit back and watch the graceful movements of the actors in their beautiful costumes.

　　Peking Opera is different from Western Opera. In Western Opera, the singing is more important. Peking Opera combines (结合) dancing, acting and acrobatics. But I am not a fan of the singing. The sound reminds me of cats screaming (尖叫).

　　It is sad that young people in China are losing interest in Peking Opera. It is full of Chinese culture and history. If it is lost, it will be a shame not just for China but also for the rest of the world.