Thereafter, the art form went from strength to strength, with troupes being formed in Beijing, Tianjin and Shanghai. In 2010, it was declared an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.

Star performers of Peking Opera have been popularizing the art form across the country as well as abroad. One of the best-known Peking Opera masters was Mei Lanfang (1894-1961), who performed in nandan style, or a male actor playing a female role. He was the first actor to present Peking Opera outside China, touring the United States in 1930.

One of the shows being staged during this year's Brazil tour is the classic piece San Cha Kou, or At The Crossroads, which follows Ren Tanghui, a warrior escorting Jiao Zan, a Song Dynasty (960-1279) general, on his way to exile after Jiao was framed for a crime.

Both Ren and Jiao spend the night at an inn owned by Liu Lihua, who mistakes Ren for an assassin sent to murder Jiao. At the same time, Ren has a similar suspicion about Liu. In darkness, they fight fiercely.