京剧入门 · An Introduction to Peking Opera

京剧jīngjù是shì中国Zhōngguó传统chuántǒng戏剧xìjù的de代表。dàibiǎo

Peking Opera is a representative form of traditional Chinese theatre.

它tā融合rónghé了le唱、chàng念、niàn做、zuò打dǎ四种sì zhǒng表演。biǎoyǎn

It combines singing, recitation, acting, and martial arts.

演员yǎnyuán穿着chuānzhe鲜艳xiānyàn的de戏服,xìfú画huà着zhe精致jīngzhì的de脸谱。liǎnpǔ

Performers wear bright costumes and exquisite face makeup.

不同bùtóng颜色yánsè和hé图案tú'àn代表dàibiǎo角色juésè的de性格。xìnggé

Different colors and patterns express the character's personality.

比如,bǐrú红色hóngsè代表dàibiǎo忠诚,zhōngchéng白色báisè则zé常常chángcháng代表dàibiǎo奸诈。jiānzhà

For example, red represents loyalty and white often represents cunning.

外国wàiguó观众guānzhòng刚gāng开始kāishǐ会huì觉得juéde它tā的de节奏jiézòu很hěn慢。màn

Foreign visitors at first feel its rhythm is slow.

但dàn一旦yídàn理解lǐjiě了le它tā的de象征xiàngzhēng语言,yǔyán每一个měi yí ge动作dòngzuò都dōu有yǒu意义。yìyì

Once you understand the symbolic language, every gesture has meaning.

京剧Jīngjù的de舞台wǔtái其实qíshí很hěn简单。jiǎndān

The Peking Opera stage is in fact very plain.

台上tái shàng常常chángcháng只有zhǐ yǒu一桌yì zhuō两椅。liǎng yǐ

Often there is only one table and two chairs on it.

演员yǎnyuán用yòng动作dòngzuò告诉gàosu观众guānzhòng他tā在哪里。zài nǎlǐ

The actor uses movement to tell the audience where he is.

拿着ná zhe马鞭mǎbiān走zǒu几步,jǐ bù就jiù表示biǎoshì骑马qí mǎ走zǒu了le很远。hěn yuǎn

Holding a riding crop and taking a few steps means he has ridden far.

做出zuò chū划桨huá jiǎng的de动作,dòngzuò就是jiùshì在zài河上hé shàng坐船。zuò chuán

Making the motion of an oar means travelling by boat on a river.

这种zhè zhǒng表演biǎoyǎn方式fāngshì叫jiào"虚拟",xūnǐ全靠quán kào想象。xiǎngxiàng

This manner of performing is called "the virtual", resting wholly on imagination.

京剧Jīngjù最zuì有名yǒumíng的de剧目jùmù之一zhī yī是shì《霸王别姬》。Bà Wáng Bié Jī

One of the most famous works is Farewell My Concubine.

如果rúguǒ你nǐ只zhǐ看kàn一出戏,yì chū xì可以kěyǐ从cóng它tā开始。kāishǐ

If you are only going to see one opera, you could start with that one.