Rare photos of top master of Peking Opera unveiled

（Guangming Online）  11:04, January 17, 2013  

Mei Lanfang(October 22, 1894 – August 8, 1961) was one of the most famous Peking opera artists in modern history, exclusively known for his qingyi roles, a type of dan role.

Mei Lanfang was born to a family of Peking Opera singers. He began studying Peking Opera at the age of 3. Then, three years later, he began to perform on stage. During the more than half a century's performance, he innovated and developed various aspects of female character type in Peking Opera such as melody, speaking manner, dancing, music, costumes and face-paintings, forming his unique art style of "Mei Style." Mei Lanfang, Yang Xiaolou and Yu Shuyan were honored the "three great performers;" meanwhile, he was one of the "four great female characters in Peking Opera" while the other three were Shang Xiaoyun, Cheng Yanqiu and Xun Huisheng. He was honored as "the name card of the Chinese culture" among the folk.