CULTURAL CONNECTIONS By Todd Cornell
Chinese Tradition of Gender-Fluid Performance For generations, Chinese culture has traditionally enjoyed and celebrated cross-gender artists. 14
Winter 2019 | www.CultursMag.com
eking opera is the most well-known of all Chinese operas, which finds its home in Beijing. But in Peking opera men have played the part of women for years. The practice began during the Chinese Feudal Society period (BCE 475 to CE 1840) when women’s roles in public were limited and during the Ming Dynasty (CE 1368 – 1644) when women were not allowed to appear on stage.
