The Beijing Opera, a.k.a. the Peking Opera, is a form of classical Chinese theater. It started in the late 18th century, and was very popular in the mid 19th century. The actors in the Beijing Opera act and employ many different other forms of expression in the Opera. Performers use song, speech, dance, and acrobatics. There are very strict requirements that must be followed in the Beijing Opera in terms of stage design, wardrobe, and make-up. There are four main classifications of characters in the Beijing Opera. Each character wears different make-up styles to identify the actor. The four styles are Sheng, Dan, Jing, and Chou. Any of the four types of characters may be the lead role. Red equals courage, yellow equals ambition, blue is fierce, white is sinister, black is rough, purple is noble, and gold and silver are used for supernatural figures.

Sheng

The main male role in the Beijing Opera is Sheng. Actors are trained for three main groups of sub-types for this category. A Lao Sheng (lao means old) is a mature male character who is middle-aged or older. This character generally has a beard. The Xiao Sheng (Junior) role is a young man (xiao means small). Wu Sheng (Acrobatic) is the most physical role, and the actor is usually trained in acrobatics. A Sheng's face paint is usually light to enhance the actor's appearance. But some Sheng characters have bright red face paint.

Dan

Dan is a female role with six main sub-types. Qing Yi is modest, Hua Dan is flirtatious, and Gui Men Dan is a young married woman, Dao Ma Dan is a strong woman, Wu Dan is an acrobat, and Lao Dan is an older woman. There is a level of social standing linked to each character. Qing Yi ranks the highest in terms of social status. Qing Yis are usually beautiful and they wear elegant clothing and make-up. Hua Dan has vivid attire and face paint.

Jing

Jing is also known as the 'painted face role', and this character has a more courageous, street-wise persona. The Jing character's voice is rough. The Jing is often a high ranking military person. His face paint and the color of the costume will tell whether he is a good or bad character in a particular opera. Red is good, white is evil, and blue is wild. There are three sub-types of the Jin. They are Hei Tou, who is proficient in singing, Jia Zi who is proficient in acting, and Wu Jing who is good at fighting or acrobatics.

Chou

The Chou, the clown, is like the court jester of the Beijing Opera. He is in the opera to bring comedic relief. The elaborateness of the Chou's dress determines his social standing. Low class characters such as fisherman or messengers are often depicted by Chou. Chous can be both good and evil. There are two sub-types of the Chou, a civilian and a military general. The Chou's nose is often painted white.