A performance art that has been around for centuries, Chinese Peaking Opera incorporates singing, reciting, acting, and martial arts, making it a truly unique cultural fascination. In fact, it is one that has looked to be preserved because of its historical importance and significance, with the UNESCO organization having inscribed it on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2010.
While it offers so much from a visual aspect, it is an art form that has been able to offer much more than that. Those who have an interest in the Chinese language or are looking to try and learn the dialect may want to take a closer look at performances that are based on this, as it can offer a lot in terms of linguistics.
Although traditional learning forms may include textbooks, TV shows, movies and online classes with a native tutor for those who are looking to learn the Chinese language, this art form can provide a variety of different benefits that are very easy to recognize when trying to master the words that are spoken, as well as from a cultural perspective.
Peking Opera Language is different to any other Chinese dialect
Learners should perhaps consider the type of Chinese that they want to master when studying and potentially using the Peking Opera as a resource. This is because it is an older form of Chinese language, and is very different to the widely-spoken Mandarin that is used in modern-day China today.
The language used features a complex system that contains various tonal variations, which makes it harder for even the youngster generation of locals and native speakers to understand. There are unusual terms that are often used which are no longer used in everyday language; much in the same way that certain English terms are no longer used in its modern language.
How can the Peking Opera language help linguistically?
As mentioned, Peking Opera features multiple facets, thus helping it to be the revered type of performance that many have continually managed to enjoy over centuries. This has helped to bring depth and greater meaning to the shows that are made, as ancient idioms are used when a point is made, which can then be enhanced with old-style music and acting that can help to bring certain linguistics and cultural values that were experienced in Ancient China to life in the modern era.
The use of the different tonal variations that are enjoyed and experienced in this performance can also help to elevate the shows that are put on, too. Different tones that can be used can help learners to understand a lot more about the dialect being used, as they may be used to address people with status or when they are emotional and want to make their points heard. This can be the same in many languages across the world, but Chinese Peking can help learners of Chinese to gain an understanding of how it is used in their particular dialect.
Stories are told in Peking Opera Language
One of the greatest elements of Chinese Peking Opera language is arguably the fact that there are various elements that help to create a story. The art performance uses singing and instrumental music to portray the stories that are told, with the language used being vitally important.
The words that have been used in all these productions are very descriptive and poetic which further brings about some level of feel and atmosphere that has been felt during these acts performed by these two legendary characters. Through this, actors would be assisted by the words which aid them in giving the audience a feeling about the way the original language was meant to sound like. They would also get acquainted with the manner the original language was supposed to sound.
Final Thoughts
Peking Opera is an intricate and enchanting theatre art which can only truly be appreciated through an appreciation for its subtlety in terms of language. Performed using traditional Chinese, additional aspects like idiom, tonal alteration singing and instrumental pieces also play a part when studying Peking opera’s vocabulary; through such study, you gain deeper insights into Chinese cultural expression.
