A Peking Opera actress teaches students traditional Peking Opera movements at Qingdao Badaxia Primary School. [Photo/WeChat account: qdweishinan]

Members of Qingdao Peking Opera Theater brought the art form directly to students in Qingdao Badaxia Primary School, which is located in Shinan district, according to local media reports on Sept 23.  

Peking Opera represents an important form of traditional Chinese culture. The members of Qingdao Peking Opera Theater gave lectures integrating Peking Opera performances with traditional cultural stories, offering the students a vivid cultural lesson.  

Peking Opera arose during the rule of Emperor Qianlong in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). It flourished for decades in China and as its fame spread, it drew audiences in other countries, including the United States and Japan.

However, its popularity has diminished over the years. While a significant number of people listened to radio productions of Peking Opera before the 1980s, generations born after that have pursued modern pop culture over traditional arts.