The Tang Xianzu Memorial Hall in Fuzhou is a comprehensive cultural venue built to commemorate Tang Xianzu, one of the world’s hundred great cultural figures and a master of Ming‑dynasty drama in China. It is also one of Jiangxi Province’s ten major memorial halls dedicated to historical luminaries.
Opera Trivia | Opera Terms in Everyday Life
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2022-12-30
Opera has been passed down for a thousand years, with its four traditional roles—sheng, dan, jing, and chou—its melodious and ever‑changing vocal styles, and its exquisitely graceful movements, all of which captivate audiences. Opera is a source of pride for the Chinese people, and the culture it embodies has long been woven into our everyday lives—most visibly, in the very words we use in our daily routines.
Words like “pōngchǎng,” “dàná,” and “méipǔ”—all everyday terms—actually originate in the world of Chinese opera. Let’s explore which of these expressions have made their way into our daily lives, and what they meant within the context of operatic culture.
Key point
It is used metaphorically to describe orderliness and hierarchy. For example, “yī bǎn yī yǎn” (literally, “one board, one eye”) means that one’s words and actions are well-organized, conform to established rules, and are not careless.
In Chinese opera, “ban yin” refers to what is commonly called the rhythmic beat in music. In both traditional Chinese opera music and folk music, the ban drum is often used as a percussion instrument to establish and control the tempo and rhythm; the striking of the drum’s head marks the strong beats, while the tapping of the drumsticks indicates the weak beats (or secondary strong beats). Consequently, in the terminology of opera music, the strong beats are designated as “ban,” while the weak beats (or secondary strong beats) are collectively referred to as “yan.”
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Nowadays, the term “stereotyping” is often used to describe something that has distinct and distinctive characteristics.
Professional training
It is often used metaphorically to refer to formal education or training.
In traditional Chinese opera, the place where students learn to perform was historically called a “keban.” According to the Cishi dictionary, the character “ke” denotes a “category” or “designation,” while “ban” refers to a “lineage” or “group.” Together, “keban” signifies an organized group under a specific category. Among the various methods of training in opera, the keban is by far the most common and has produced the largest number of performers. It is a teaching institution that imparts skills through collective instruction, with a high rate of success—hence, it has nurtured the greatest number of accomplished actors.
To support; to show favor; to patronize.
To support; to show favor; to patronize.
Today, it generally refers to deliberately exaggerating or praising someone else’s activities or situation.
In the context of Chinese opera, “pengchang” refers to the practice of generating public attention—through purchasing tickets in bulk, eliciting enthusiastic applause, writing favorable reviews, and other means—with the aim of enhancing the reputation and standing of a particular actor or theater troupe.
A play performed on the same stage as another.
A metaphor for two parties competing for the same type of work or task.
In the context of Chinese opera, “dui tai xi” refers to two troupes of roughly equal standing that, during the same period and at nearby venues, stage identical or similar productions in a spirited competition to vie for supremacy.
Outfit
Generally refers to clothing (with a humorous connotation)
In Chinese opera, “xingtou” refers collectively to the costumes, shoes, and headgear worn by performers on stage.
No idea
Having no clear idea; lacking a definite plan.
(For example, Teacher Li Jun’s disastrous rendition of “The Pearl Curtain Fortress,” in which the Eleven Protectors capture the tiger and the leopard.)
It is a term in Chinese opera: “pǔ zhě” refers to the general guidelines, while “méi pǔ” means lacking such guidelines and straying far from the original. In terms of vocal style, it denotes departing from the established musical score—singing incorrectly or arbitrarily improvising the melody.
To lend a hand
Assistant to the Speaker
In Chinese opera, the term “da xia shou” refers to the performers of the large gong, cymbals, and small gong—those who are not the drummers. Since all percussion instruments are led by the board drum player, the drummer is called the “shang shou,” while the other percussionists are referred to as the “xia shou.”
Make an appearance
It is a metaphor for appearing or performing in public; it also means openly expressing one’s attitude and making one’s views clear.
The “appearance” is a conventional element of opera performance. After an actor enters or exits the stage, or following a dance sequence or martial‑arts scene, there is a brief pause during which the performer assumes a fixed pose—often resembling a sculpture—to convey the character’s inner state. In addition to demanding a stable and poised stance, this gesture must also embody a subtle dynamism, maintain a seamless flow of energy, and present a visually pleasing composition.
Challenge
A metaphor for deliberately acting in opposition.
“Jiaoban” is a term from Chinese opera music. It refers to the spoken recitation that precedes the opening of a musical section, with an upward‑rising intonation at the end, facilitating a smooth and natural transition from speech to singing. The practice of using gestures to indicate the tempo of the subsequent vocal passage is also called “jiaoban.”
Striving with all one's might
Concentrate your strength and unleash it all at once.
Concentrate your strength and unleash it all at once.
In Chinese opera, “mao shang” (also written as “mao shang”) refers to an actor’s unrestrained, full‑throttle display of personal skill during a performance. When faced with passages that can be staged in various ways, deliberately choosing the more demanding version is also considered a manifestation of “mao shang.” By contrast, any sign of laxity, carelessness, or reluctance to exert oneself in the performance is described as “pao tang.”
Expert
A person in a position of great power; someone who wields authority in a particular area.
In Chinese opera, the term “da na” is a Peking Opera jargon referring to backstage management personnel such as the “chief administrator of both literary and martial roles.” During performances, tasks like scheduling the repertoire and assigning cast members are all under the authority of these administrators, which is why they are colloquially known as “da na.”
To shoulder the main responsibility
Generally refers to undertaking important, pillar‑supporting work.
“Tiao da liang” is a term from traditional Chinese opera, primarily prevalent in the Beijing‑style opera scene of Jiangning. In the past, the roles of sheng, dan, jing, and chou were likened to the “four beams and four pillars” of a house’s structural framework, with the leading actor—someone both talented and charismatic—referred to as the “great beam.” To “tiao da liang” means to take on the role of the principal character in the troupe.
To play a minor role
A metaphor for doing trivial tasks under someone else’s command.
A person in a position of great power; someone who wields authority in a particular area.
In Chinese opera, the term “da na” is a Peking Opera jargon referring to backstage management personnel such as the “chief administrator of both literary and martial roles.” During performances, tasks like scheduling the repertoire and assigning cast members are all under the authority of these administrators, which is why they are colloquially known as “da na.”
To shoulder the main responsibility
Generally refers to undertaking important, pillar‑supporting work.
“Tiao da liang” is a term from traditional Chinese opera, primarily prevalent in the Beijing‑style opera scene of Jiangning. In the past, the roles of sheng, dan, jing, and chou were likened to the “four beams and four pillars” of a house’s structural framework, with the leading actor—someone both talented and charismatic—referred to as the “great beam.” To “tiao da liang” means to take on the role of the principal character in the troupe.
To play a minor role
A metaphor for doing trivial tasks under someone else’s command.
In Chinese opera, “running the dragon‑suite” refers to playing minor supporting roles. The dragon‑suite is one of the performance categories in opera, also known as “liúxíng,” and serves as a collective term for characters such as young officials in blue robes, eunuchs, armored warriors, military officers, and constables.
Roundabout
To break the deadlock, to mediate or propose a compromise.
In Chinese opera, the “yuan chang” is a stage‑direction technique. One or several characters move around the stage along prescribed circular paths to signify shifts in spatial relationships; the pace may vary from brisk to slow, and the entire sequence is collectively referred to as “running the yuan chang” or “walking the yuan chang.”
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