Peking Opera 'Sacrifice' film hits Beijing theaters

Wang, one of the most popular Peking Opera artists in China, performed the role of Cheng Ying three years ago with a new production of Sacrifice and turned the Peking Opera piece into a movie, with a goal of introducing the traditional art form to more people, especially young audiences.

With a combination of various art forms, including singing, dancing, acrobatics and martial arts, Peking Opera, or jingju, has a history stretching back more than 200 years. In 2010 UNESCO declared it an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Like many traditional art forms, it has been challenged by contemporary entertainment and is losing its audience, especially among the younger generation.

Born and raised in Suzhou, East China's Jiangsu province, Wang began her Peking Opera training when she was a middle school student. She adheres to the tradition of the performing style of Peking Opera master Yu Shuyan, whose style is called yupai or the Yu School.