Wan Ruixing, renowned Peking Opera composer and player of the jinghu speaks at a news conference in Beijing, April 23, 2019. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

A former actress from the China National Peking Opera Company, Zhang has performed in sellout shows across China, including a solo show at the Great Hall of the People in 2007. In 2015, Zhang made her US debut at Lincoln Center in New York by performing two famous Peking Opera pieces, The Legend of the White Snake and The Jewelry Pouch. She now spends much of her time teaching Peking Opera at the National Academy of Chinese Theater Arts, one of the top academies of traditional Chinese operas, to pass on the ancient art to younger generations.

Peking Opera is a 200-year-old Chinese theater art dating back to the 18th century, which combines speech, song, dance and martial arts. In 2010, UNESCO inscribed it as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Contact the writer at li-ping@chinadaily.com.cn