Peking Opera actress Zhang Xinyue (R) performs "Lian Jinfeng: Pierce the Mussel" in a rehearsal at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., the United States on August 27, 2014 local time. The contemporary artistic descendants of China's Peking Opera master Mei Lanfang staged a gala performance at Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. on August 27, 2014, bringing the audience closer to the ancient Chinese opera art. Chinese artists from Beijing Peking Opera Troupe and Mei Lanfang Peking Opera Troupe staged excerpts from five operas based on classic plays of the Mei Performing School. [Photo: China News Service/ Zhang Weiran]