Posing, miming and singing, young members of the Peking opera fan club at Yaohai District Performing Art School in Hefei, Anhui Province are not only experiencing authentic Peking opera but are trying to usher in a resurgence of a declining art. On March 23, the school invited Peking opera experts to train their members. Under professional guidance, the young Peking opera fans got dressed up in traditional costumes and dramatic stage makeup. The whole event was part of a larger process to popularize the art form.

Peking opera used to enjoy great popularity back to the Qing Dynasty （1636--1912） and even during the later parts of the last century. In the twenty first century, however, as other forms of entertainment have become more popular from IMAX cinemas to online video streaming videos, traditional Chinese performing art forms like Peking opera keep losing audience. 

In Hefei, Anhui Province where Peking opera originated, elementary and middle schools have made the efforts to preserve the cultural treasure by incorporating Peking opera course in the curriculum and by encouraging students to join performing clubs.