What is Sichuan Opera?

 

Sichuan Opera is called Chuan Ju in Chinese. It is a specific kind of opera in Sichuan featuring mask-changing and fire-spitting performance, which are considered to be ancient magician performances. Throughout time Sichuan Opera kept its original way of performing the show. Except mask-changing, there are also different performances in Sichuan Opera Show including Puppet Show, Hand Shadow Show, Rolling with Candle, etc.

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When does the Sichuan Opera show start? Is it available every day?

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Sichuan Opera Show is available every day. Sichuan Opera Show usually starts by 8.00pm every day. During busy travel seasons there may open extra shows starting by 2pm, 4pm or 6pm.  The busy seasons include April, May, June, July, August, September, October, January and February. During busy travel seaons we recommend you to secure your bookings ahead of time at least 3 days. If you want to have good seats you are recommended to secure your booking 3 weeks prior. Opera Tickets are available for booking 3 months prior that if you book by then it's almost ganrauteed you will have good seats. 

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Where can I watch Sichuan Opera show?

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The opera house is called Shufeng Yayun. It is located inside a park at No. 32 Qintai Lu, Qingyang Qu. This opera house tries to keep the opera house in a more traditional way, the way Chengdu people have been doing since the beginning.

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Details of Sichuan Opera Show

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Naotai is the openning of Sichuan Opera. The assembles of gong, drum, chime produce a simple tune as a start of Sichuan Opera by blowing, pulling, plucking and beating.

Puppet Show is a silent show of a puppet without singers or players. The performer use only his pair of clever hands to control the puppet to make different and sometimes difficult movements resembling a real person playing in a show and trying to tell a story usually about love.

Hand Shadow Trick is when the performer form the shapes of different animals like rabbits and horse by a pair of hands.

Rolling Light is a local Sichuan Drama that is famous among local people. It tells a story between a gambling-addicted husband and an aggressive wife. Rolling light is the way the wife uses to punish her husband in the yard. It is a deep-root cultural fact in Chengdu when we say a “Soft-ear” husband is usually afraid of his wife and listens and does what his wife says.

Face-changing and Fire-spitting is the highlight of the opera show. It comes by the end of Sichuan opera how. You will need to watch closely to find out how did the actors changing their masks.