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Peking Opera - Test
Contributed by: Maguire
  • 1. What is Peking Opera also known as?
A) Tokyo Opera
B) Shanghai Opera
C) Seoul Opera
D) Beijing Opera
  • 2. In which country did Peking Opera originate?
A) Japan
B) Korea
C) India
D) China
  • 3. What are the four main types of roles in traditional Peking Opera?
A) King, Queen, Prince, Princess
B) Sheng, Dan, Jing, Chou
C) Lead, Supporting, Extra, Comic
D) Hero, Villain, Sidekick, Clown
  • 4. Which performer type in Peking Opera often plays female roles?
A) Chou
B) Jing
C) Dan
D) Sheng
  • 5. What is the distinctive feature of Peking Opera costumes?
A) Bright neon colors
B) Modern clothing
C) Minimalist design
D) Elaborate embroidery
  • 6. Which art forms have influenced Peking Opera?
A) Opera, acrobatics, martial arts, music
B) Film, video games, literature
C) Street dance, graffiti art, rap music
D) Ballet, classical music, sculpture
  • 7. What is the purpose of the traditional Peking Opera vocal style?
A) Speak the lines without melody
B) Convey emotions with stylized techniques
C) Sing in a modern pop style
D) Yell loudly to be heard
  • 8. Who is considered one of the most famous Peking Opera performers of all time?
A) Bruce Lee
B) Maria Callas
C) Michael Jackson
D) Mei Lanfang
  • 9. In which dynasty did Peking opera arise?
A) Ming dynasty
B) Tang dynasty
C) Han dynasty
D) Mid-Qing dynasty (1644–1912)
  • 10. What are the four main role types in Peking opera?
A) Laodan, Xiaosheng, Wudan, Chou
B) Wang, Gong, Daomadan, Xiaosheng
C) Shēng (gentlemen), dàn (women), jìng (rough men), chǒu (clowns)
D) Nan, Nu, Laosheng, Wusheng
  • 11. What are the two main melodies in Peking opera?
A) Gaoqiang and Xiaoling
B) Jingju and Pingxi
C) Xīpí and èrhuáng
D) Kunqu and Qinqiang
  • 12. What was Peking opera denounced as during the Cultural Revolution?
A) Traditional and artistic
B) Westernized and capitalist
C) Feudalistic and bourgeois
D) Modernist and progressive
  • 13. What was the original name for Peking opera when Beijing was known as Beiping?
A) Píhuáng
B) Guójù
C) Pingxi or Pingju
D) Jingju
  • 14. Which emperor's birthday did the Four Great Anhui Troupes perform for in 1790?
A) Yongzheng Emperor
B) Qianlong Emperor
C) Jiaqing Emperor
D) Kangxi Emperor
  • 15. What form of Mandarin is closest to the archaic form used in Peking opera?
A) Zhongyuan Mandarin dialects of Henan and Shaanxi
B) Cantonese
C) Beijing Mandarin
D) Shanghainese
  • 16. What was the name of the first female Peking-opera troupe in Shanghai?
A) Founded by Kangxi Emperor
B) Founded by Qianlong Emperor
C) Founded by Li Maoer
D) Founded by Yu Zhenting
  • 17. What year was the ban on female performers in Peking opera lifted?
A) 1923
B) 1930
C) 1912
D) 1905
  • 18. What year did the Chinese Communist Party come to power in mainland China?
A) 1949
B) 1956
C) 1976
D) 1966
  • 19. Who was responsible for using opera as a tool to transmit communist ideology during the Cultural Revolution?
A) Deng Xiaoping
B) Lin Biao
C) Mao Zedong
D) Jiang Qing
  • 20. What percentage of musical dramas staged in China were traditional plays from the pre-Communist era according to a study in People's Daily?
A) 30 percent
B) 10 percent
C) Over 80 percent
D) 50 percent
  • 21. What was the status of Peking opera in Taiwan after the retreat of the Republic of China in 1949?
A) Minor art form
B) Cultural taboo
C) Complete ban
D) Political symbolism
  • 22. What was one reason for sending a Taiwanese opera group to a mainland cultural event in 1990?
A) To promote Peking opera
B) To showcase modern art
C) To celebrate Chinese unity
D) To emphasize 'Taiwaneseness'
  • 23. What happened to performances of works beyond the eight model plays during the Cultural Revolution?
A) They were performed without any changes.
B) They were allowed only in heavily modified form.
C) They were completely banned.
D) They became more popular than model plays.
  • 24. What was one change made to traditional Peking opera performances during the Cultural Revolution?
A) Traditional costumes were replaced with modern ones.
B) Piano accompaniment was introduced.
C) All operas were performed in English.
D) Visible stage assistants were eliminated.
  • 25. What has made it difficult for Peking opera to capture modern life?
A) Absence of traditional themes
B) The archaic language requiring electronic subtitles
C) Lack of talented performers
D) Excessive use of modern elements
  • 26. Which country did Mei Lanfang first perform Peking opera in outside of China?
A) Hong Kong
B) Japan
C) Soviet Union
D) United States
  • 27. What was the initial duration planned for Mei Lanfang's American tour before it was extended?
A) Four weeks
B) One week
C) Three weeks
D) Two weeks
  • 28. Which theater in New York City had to relocate Mei Lanfang's performances due to high demand?
A) Metropolitan Opera House
B) Carnegie Hall
C) Broadway Theatre
D) 49th Street Theater
  • 29. What is the term for the 'false foot' technique developed by Wei Changsheng?
A) Zhao Kuang-yin
B) Guan Gong
C) Cai ciao
D) Mei Lanfang
  • 30. Which role type did Mei Lanfang pioneer that combines the status of qingyi with the sensuality of huadan?
A) Daomadan
B) Laodan
C) Huashan
D) Wudan
  • 31. Which subtype of Sheng represents young male characters with a high, shrill voice?
A) Laosheng
B) Wusheng
C) Xiaosheng
D) Hongsheng
  • 32. Which subtype of Sheng is known for roles involving combat and acrobatics?
A) Laosheng
B) Wusheng
C) Hongsheng
D) Xiaosheng
  • 33. What controversial form of brothel arose due to the ban on female performers in early Beijing opera?
A) Guan Gong
B) Mei Lanfang
C) Zhao Kuang-yin
D) Xianggong tangzi
  • 34. Who is known for developing the 'false foot' technique to simulate bound feet in Peking opera?
A) Guan Gong
B) Wei Changsheng
C) Otis Skinner
D) Mei Lanfang
  • 35. Which subtype of Dan role is known for playing virtuous and elite women?
A) Huadan
B) Wudan
C) Qingyi
D) Daomadan
  • 36. Which type of Jing role is characterized by being a loyal general with a black face?
A) Wujing
B) Dongchui
C) Jiazi
D) Chou
  • 37. Which Jing role is known for combining martial and acrobatic skills?
A) Dongchui
B) Jiazi
C) Wujing
D) Chou
  • 38. What type of roles do Chou characters typically play in a Beijing opera troupe?
A) Primary roles
B) Secondary roles
C) Leading roles
D) Supporting roles
  • 39. Which Jing face color represents soundness and integrity?
A) Yellow
B) Red
C) White
D) Black
  • 40. What has lessened in Chou performances due to the standardization of Beijing opera?
A) Use of percussion instruments
B) Improvisation
C) Costume elaborateness
D) Vocal timbre
  • 41. Which Jing role is played by a skilled actor and involves complex characters?
A) Dongchui
B) Wujing
C) Jiazi
D) Chou
  • 42. At what age did students traditionally start their apprenticeship in Peking opera before the 20th century?
A) A young age
B) After completing basic education
C) At age ten
D) In their teenage years
  • 43. How long was the traditional apprenticeship period for Peking opera students before the 20th century?
A) Ten years
B) Five years
C) Seven years
D) Three years
  • 44. What type of training method was introduced in schools after 1930?
A) More rigorous methods
B) Self-directed learning
C) Less harsh methods
D) Military-style discipline
  • 45. When were new Peking opera training schools reopened after being closed due to the Japanese invasion?
A) 1935
B) 1960
C) 1952
D) 1945
  • 46. Which of the following is not a school based on famous Peking opera performers?
A) Ma Lianliang school
B) Mei Lanfang school
C) Cheng Yanqiu school
D) Chen Jialin school
  • 47. What additional component do modern Peking opera performance schools include besides traditional arts?
A) Military training
B) Foreign languages
C) Academic studies
D) Business management
  • 48. Which skill is not one of the four main skills used by Peking opera performers?
A) Dance-acting
B) Song
C) Combat
D) Painting
  • 49. What does walking in a large circle symbolize in Peking opera?
A) A character's confusion
B) A festive celebration
C) Traveling a long distance
D) A change of heart
  • 50. What is the principle that contrasts with Mo in Peking opera?
A) Realistic portrayal
B) Literal representation
C) Suggestive, not imitative
D) Detailed accuracy
  • 51. How are motions and poses typically manipulated in Peking opera to avoid sharpness?
A) Straight lines
B) Rigid postures
C) Sharp angles
D) Roundness
  • 52. In Peking opera, what does a character sweeping their eyes in a circular motion symbolize?
A) Looking at an object above them
B) Searching for someone
C) Expressing confusion
D) Being surprised
  • 53. What shape are traditional Peking opera stages?
A) Round
B) Square
C) Rectangular
D) Triangular
  • 54. What direction do performers move to upon entering the Peking opera stage?
A) Center east
B) Center north
C) Center west
D) Center south
  • 55. What does a whip signify in Peking opera?
A) A sword
B) A chariot
C) A horse
D) A dragon
  • 56. What color robes do emperors and their families wear in Peking opera?
A) Blue
B) Purple
C) Red
D) Yellow
  • 57. Which of the following is NOT a type of flag used in Peking opera?
A) Food flag
B) Square flag with 'marshal'
C) Water flag
D) Rectangular flag with 'commander'
  • 58. What do actors shake to represent waves on stage in Peking opera?
A) Water flags
B) Vehicle flags
C) Wind flags
D) Fire flags
  • 59. Which of the following is NOT an example of qimo props?
A) Tea and wine sets
B) Microphone
C) Candlesticks
D) Fans
  • 60. What do cloth backdrops represent in Peking opera?
A) Mountains
B) Deserts
C) Forests
D) Cities
  • 61. Which item is used to demonstrate environments and can be a backdrop?
A) Tea sets
B) Horsewhips
C) Ink slabs
D) Cloth backdrops
  • 62. Which of the following is an example of a simple decoration in qimo?
A) Projectors
B) Spotlights
C) Table curtains
D) Microphones
  • 63. What do actors use to represent fire on stage?
A) Wind flags
B) Vehicle flags
C) Water flags
D) Fire flags
  • 64. Which of the following is a traditional qimo item used in Peking opera?
A) Tablets
B) Laptops
C) Handkerchiefs
D) Smartphones
  • 65. What is the basic principle of breath control in Chinese opera?
A) Strong centralized breath moves the melodic-passages (zhong qi xing xiang)
B) Breath must always be visible to the audience
C) Breath should be expelled quickly to maintain energy
D) Breath is controlled by the chest and shoulders
  • 66. How many basic shapes are there for the throat and mouth in Peking opera?
A) Four
B) Five
C) Six
D) Three
  • 67. How many methods are there for articulating consonants in Peking opera?
A) Three
B) Four
C) Six
D) Five
  • 68. Who usually delivers an exit speech?
A) The main protagonist
B) A supporting character
C) The director
D) An audience member
  • 69. How many main types of song lyrics are there in Peking opera?
A) Ten
B) Four
C) Six
D) Eight
  • 70. How many rhyme categories are identified in Peking opera?
A) Fifteen
B) Thirteen
C) Eight
D) Ten
  • 71. What is the ideal basic timbre for Peking opera songs described as?
A) A bright soprano tone
B) A deep bass tone
C) A controlled nasal tone
D) A flat monotone
  • 72. What is the primary melodic instrument in Peking opera?
A) The naobo, a type of drum
B) The jinghu, a small high-pitched two-string spike fiddle
C) The daluo, a large gong
D) The yueqin, a circular bodied plucked lute
  • 73. Which style of Peking opera is considered more improvisational?
A) Erhuang
B) Both are equally improvisational
C) Xipi
D) Neither is improvisational
  • 74. How many works are included in the repertoire of Peking opera?
A) Around 500
B) Over 3,000
C) About 2,000
D) Nearly 1,400
  • 75. What is the term for traditional plays performed before 1949?
A) Xinbian de lishixi
B) Chuantongxi
C) Xiandaixi
D) Daxi
  • 76. Which Shakespearean play has been adapted for Peking opera?
A) Macbeth
B) Hamlet
C) Othello
D) A Midsummer Night's Dream
  • 77. Name one of the ten masterpieces of traditional Peking opera repertoire mentioned by Li Wenrui.
A) Macbeth
B) Othello
C) Hamlet
D) The Drunken Concubine
  • 78. Which director used Peking opera in a number of plays within Westernized, realistic plots?
A) Fei Mu
B) Li Wenrui
C) Chen Kaige
D) King Hu
  • 79. In which film does Peking opera serve as a backdrop for the protagonists' romance?
A) The Great Wall
B) Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
C) Hero
D) Farewell My Concubine
  • 80. Which director is known for using formal norms of Peking opera in his films?
A) King Hu
B) Chen Kaige
C) Li Wenrui
D) Fei Mu
  • 81. What is a criticism of the portrayal of Peking opera in 'Farewell My Concubine'?
A) Lacking authenticity
B) Overly complex
C) One-dimensional
D) Too modernized
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