Peking Opera is not just an art, it's a symbol of traditional Chinese culture. You don't have to be Chinese to appreciate it. The Yuyuan Garden in Shanghai has given foreigners a basic course in this national treasure.

Shanghai's Yuyuan Garden was a gathering place for foreigners. These foreigners were all eager to know more about Peking Opera, one of China's national treasures dating back 200 years. Taking an interactive approach, experts introduced movements, singing, dialogue, and mime as well as the roles, facial make-up and costumes.

A Japanese Peking Opera fan said: "Watching the opera in the theatre is a little difficult to understand. The way of tonight's teaching is interesting and much easier to learn."

Having studied the art for seven years, the Japanese fan gave a wonderful performance of a traditional Peking Opera Mu Guiying. It's a story about a woman general of the Yang Family in the Song Dynasty. Foreign fans will have the chance to catch more classic Peking Operas here in the next few days.

(CCTV.com August 29, 2003)