Liu Xinran grabs a bite of takeaway food before a Peking Opera performance. Liu originally worked in Beijing’s weather bureau but has performed on stage since he won the Gold Prize in the Peking Opera Piaoyou Contest in 2007. /Chinanews Photo

Piaoyou, in opera jargon, indicates fans who can sing opera but do not make a living from the art. After performing a solo on a CCTV program to celebrate the Spring Festival in 2008, he became even more popular and began working with famous directors. /Chinanews Photo

At 31 years old, he quit his job and focused on playing the female Dan role in Peking Opera. After a lot of work, he is now the leading Dan and also the art director of the theater. /Chinanews Photo