The Most Popular Stories of Pingju Opera

Due to its short history and limited opera subject - matter, Pingju Opera does not have the ability to control the major contents of reflecting the life of emperors and generals and political and military struggles like the major operas of Beijing and Bang opera.

It mainly reflects the life of lower-level officials, citizens and peasants. Therefore, the performance art (voice, skills) of various professions, especially the performance methods of Laosheng, Jing, Daomadan and Wusheng, still needs to be continuously enriched and developed. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, due to the continuous increase of newly compiled historical story plays, the performance art of various professions, especially Xiaosheng, Laosheng and Jing, has developed greatly. Here are some of the most popular Pingju Opera stories that are still being performed in Pingju Opera theaters.

Liu Qiao’er

In the early days of the Anti-Japanese War, there was a young woman named Liu Qiaoer in northern Shaanxi. When she was young, her father Liu Yangui promised her to Zhao Zhuer from the neighboring village as his wife. Liu Qiaoer did not know Zhao Zhuer and insisted on breaking the contract, which was exactly what her father meant by despising poverty and loving wealth, so he broke off the engagement with the Zhao family and promised Qiaoer to the rich man Wang Shouchang for the gift. Qiaoer had already taken a fancy to Zhao Zhenhua at the model worker meeting. One day, Qiaoer met Zhao Zhenhua in Aunt Li's field, and then she knew that he was Zhao Zhu. Zhao Zhu also loved Qiao'er. However, Zhao's father heard that Liu Yangui sold Qiao'er to Wang Shouchang, so he took people to abduct her. The county judge thought that the marriage had been cancelled without a detailed investigation and could not be remarried. Later, Commissioner Ma of the special district personally went to the countryside to try the case, punished Wang Shouchang and Liu Yangui, educated Zhao's father, and approved the marriage between Zhao Zhu and Liu Qiao'er.

Yang Sanjie’s Complaint

Gao Zhanying, the sixth son of Gao Guizhang, a wealthy upstart in Luan County, Hebei Province, married Yang Erjie, the daughter of a hired farmer. Gao Zhanying committed adultery with his eldest sister-in-law Pei and his fifth sister-in-law Jinyu. Yang Erjie tried to persuade him, but Gao Zhanying did not listen. Instead, he conspired with Pei, Jinyu and his uncle Gao Guihe to kill Yang Erjie. Yang Sanjie came to Gao's house with her mother to mourn, and found the situation suspicious, so she resolutely wanted to avenge Yang Erjie. Yang Sanjie filed a complaint in Luan County, but was harassed by corrupt officials. The Gao family was ordered to pay compensation to Yang Sanjie's family. Finally, she appealed to the Tianjin Higher Inspection Office. It happened that Director Yang, who was born in a warlord family, had just taken office. He was seeking fame and reputation, and immediately approved the lawsuit. Yang Sanjie avenged her blood feud.

Flowers as Matchmakers

In Flowers as Matchmakers, Zhang Wuke and Wang Junqing were introduced by Ruan Ma, using flowers as matchmakers. But Wang Junqing believed the slander of his cousin Jia Junying and refused to marry Zhang Wuke. Ruan Ma had arranged for a blind date for Zhang Wuke in the garden. Zhang Wuke took Jia Junying for Wang Junqing; the two struck each other with good impressions. Meanwhile, Wang Junqing's mother asked Ruan Ma to match Li Yue'e with Li Yue'e, who was already in love with Wang Junqing. The misunderstanding was worked out, and the two lovebirds got married in the end.

Xiangzi and Huniu

Xiangzi and Huniu is adapted from the novel Camel Xiangzi by Mr. Lao She, a famous modern Chinese writer.

In the old Beijing city of China, Xiangzi, a simple and honest young man who makes a living by pulling a rickshaw, has the greatest hope in life to pull his own car and live a simple life of self-reliance. However, that dark era gave him only poverty and disappointment. "Renhe Car Factory" owner Liu Siye's daughter Huniu has a straightforward and hot-tempered personality. She is over 30 but has not married. She longs for sweet love and looks forward to a beautiful life. She is sincerely in love with Xiangzi. Based on the loyal original work, this play deliberately depicts the love story and tragic fate of Xiangzi and Huniu.

Worshipping the Moon

Amid the turmoil of a rebellion-torn dynasty, The Moon Worship Tale unfolds the bittersweet romance between Wang Ruilan, a sheltered noblewoman torn from her family, and Jiang Shilong, a kind-hearted scholar from humble roots. After fleeing danger, the pair forge a deep bond while surviving hardships together, only to be torn apart by Ruilan’s father, who forces her into a politically advantageous marriage. On a moonlit night before her wedding, Ruilan’s anguished prayers to the moon—a heartfelt plea for freedom and love—are secretly witnessed by Jiang Shilong, now a high-ranking official. Through unexpected twists of loyalty and courage, their paths converge once more, defying rigid social norms to rewrite their destiny. Rich with emotional depth and cultural symbolism, the tale weaves sacrifice, hope, and the quiet defiance of love against a fractured world.

• The Characteristics of Pingju Opera
• Famous Pingju Opera Artists
• The Most Popular Stories of Pingju Opera
• Where Can I See Pingju Opera?