Although performers of all kinds were belittled in ancient times, various schools of traditional operas flourishes now and draw large audiences in the present-day China. Adapted to the needs of depicting different themes, plots and characters, it is a traditional art form with a strong national flavour and is unique in world theatre. Chinese opera has a rich repertoire including thematic operas, comedies, tragedies, tragicomedies and poetic folk operas.
Local operas have their own peculiar characteristics.
Because they are presented with local languages, songs and music, they are particularly popular. Opera troupes number more than 3,000 as against 1,000 in the early years of Liberation. Professional players and other personnel total 200,000.