An Introduction to the Aesthetic Grammar of Peking Opera

This paper explores the aesthetic canons of Peking Opera, a non-realistic art form that relies on a shared understanding between performer and spectator. It examines how the art form’s didactic purpose—the communication of Confucian values—shapes its narrative conventions and codified ‘forms’ (xing). It argues that this highly stylized system is not an end in itself but a vehicle for achieving transcendent ‘spirit’ (shen), requiring the audience’s active imagination to complete the immersive aesthetic experience.