Exhibition celebrates Peking Opera legend Mei Lanfang

A special exhibition dedicated to Mei was held on Saturday at Beijing's Mei Lanfang theater, one of many events to mark the anniversary.

This year is the 120th anniversary of the birth of Mei Lanfang, one of the most famous Peking Opera stars. A special exhibition dedicated to Mei was held on Saturday at Beijing's Mei Lanfang theater, one of many events to mark the anniversary.

The Jinghu, a unique instrument used in Peking Opera, and Xu Xueci, 79, knows how to make them. He came along to show off his skills.

"I love Peking Opera! The sound of the Jinghu is just marvelous. I'm delighted to meet this master of Jinghu making. I think we really should promote this amazing national treasure," said a visitor.

Wednesday will mark the 120th anniversary of the birth of Mei Lanfang, the first star to take Peking Opera abroad. He died in 1961, but his legacy lives on.

That legacy flowed throughout the exhibition, including some practical demonstrations of clay mask painting.

"I'm working on the Monkey King, a well-known mythical figure in China. I use different colors to portray the traits of various characters," said an artist.

There were also clay face models of some of the great Peking Opera artists, including Mei Lanfang himself.

The exhibition is part of a wider effort to promote and preserve the unique art form and encourage public engagement.