Zhengyici Peking Opera Theatre

Tucked into a lane in Beijing's old Xuanwu district, the Zhengyici is a rare surviving wooden opera theatre, its origins reaching back to the late seventeenth century when it began as a temple hall. Restored to working use, it retains a galleried courtyard layout with the stage projecting into the audience, close to how Peking opera was traditionally staged. Watching a performance here, often accompanied by tea, evokes the atmosphere of Qing-era playhouses.