Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
ENTERTAINMENT
TIĀNQIÁO ACROBATICS THEATRE
( Tiānqiáo Zájì Jù- chǎng; 6303 7449; 95 Tianqiao Shichang Jie, tickets Y180-380; performances 5.30pm;
Taranting)
West of the Temple of Heaven Park, this 100-year-old theatre offers one of
Běijīng's best acrobatic displays, a one-hour show performed by the Běijīng Acrobatic
Troupe. Less touristy than the other venues, the high-wire display here is awesome. The en-
trance is down the eastern side of the building.
|ACROBATICS
HÚGUǍNG GUILD HALL
| PEKING OPERA
( Húguǎng Huìguǎn; 6351 8284; 3 Hufang Lu, tickets ¥180-680, opera museum ¥10; performances 6.30pm, op-
era museum 9am-5pm; Caishikou)
With balconies surrounding the canopied stage, the Húguǎng
dates back to 1807. In 1912 the Kuomintang (KMT), led by Dr Sun Yat-sen, was founded
here. The interior is magnificent, coloured in red, green and gold, and decked out with
tables and a stone floor. Opposite the theatre there's a very small opera museum displaying
operatic scores, old catalogues and other paraphernalia. There are also colour illustrations
of the
liǎnpǔ
(types of Peking opera facial makeup) - examples include the
hóu liǎnpǔ
(monkey face) and the
chǒujué liǎnpǔ
(clown face). Shows here attract a lot of domestic
tour groups. There are few English captions.
LAO SHE TEAHOUSE
( Lǎoshě Cháguǎn; 6303 6830;
www.laosheteahouse.com
; 3rd fl, 3 Qianmen Xidajie, 3 3 evening tickets 180-380;
performances 7.50pm; Qianmen)
Lao She Teahouse, named after the celebrated writer, has
daily and nightly shows, mostly in Chinese, which blend any number of traditional Chinese
performing arts. The evening performances of Peking opera, folk art and music, acrobatics
and magic (7.50pm to 9.20pm) are the most popular. But there are also tea ceremonies, fre-
quent folk music performances and daily shadow puppet shows. Prices depend on the type
of show and your seat. Phone ahead or check the schedule online. Look for two yellow
dragons on the front of the building.
|CHINESE PERFORMING ARTS
LÍYUÁN THEATRE
|PEKING OPERA
( Líyuán Jùchǎng; 6301 8860, 6301 6688; Qianmen Jianguo Hotel, 175 Yong'an Lu, tickets without tea ¥200-280,
with tea 380-580; performances 7.30pm; Caishikou)
This touristy theatre, in the lobby of the Qi-
you want to, you can enjoy an overpriced tea ceremony while watching. The setting isn't
