Wave water sleeves, play with spears, paint faces and wear costumes. On May 17th, teachers and students from the Ecuadorian Education Delegation immersed themselves in the art of Peking Opera at the Affiliated Art School of Shenyang Normal University, experiencing the endless charm of traditional Chinese culture.

Amid the beating of gongs and drums, students from the Affiliated Art School of Shenyang Normal University demonstrated the basic skills of singing, speaking, acting and acrobatic fighting of Peking Opera and performed some excerpts of Wu Wenhua and Woman Defending for the Emperor for 25 students from Ecuador. With curiosity and enthusiasm, the Ecuadorian students fixed their eyes on the performance and took photos with their mobile phones from time to time. After the performance, they couldn’t wait to come to the venue to put on their costumes and props, and learned some techniques with the Chinese students, such as water sleeves, spear playing and knife playing. Some of the students also put on facial makeups to practice stage gaits and wave water sleeves under the guidance of their teachers, winning applause from the audience.

“I’ve heard of Peking Opera before, but knew little about it. Today, I not only saw the Peking Opera performance by myself, but also tried on the costumes. This experience was fantastic!” Dressed in the costume for the role of a general, Oliver showed a debut posture he had just learned, and had his classmates help him take photos for memory.

“Peking Opera is the quintessence of Chinese culture, with a profound history and a rich heritage. Today, we have prepared a Peking Opera immersive experience specifically for Ecuadorian students, helping them feel the charm of traditional Chinese culture through lively activities, and hoping they can bring our national art to the world”, said Wang Yunfeng, deputy director of the Opera Teaching Department at the Affiliated Art School of Shenyang Normal University.