Costumes reveal an enduring legacy

Father and son Peking Opera masters are celebrated in an exhibition of their elaborate stage garments, Chen Nan reports.

In the heart of the exhibition hall of the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing, two intricately embroidered costumes stand side by side, capturing the legacy of Peking Opera masters Mei Lanfang (1894-1961) and his son Mei Baojiu (1934-2016).

These stunning garments, both worn in performances of the iconic Peking Opera production The Drunken Concubine, symbolize the seamless transmission of artistic genius between these two legends.

The robe, worn by Mei Lanfang, features delicate phoenix motifs and radiates the elegance and grace of his pioneering portrayal of Yang Yuhuan, a concubine of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty (618-907).