Beijing opera doll: Mu Guiying

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Jingju, also known as Beijing Opera, holds a revered position in China's cultural heritage with over two centuries of rich history behind it. To master this art form, performers undergo rigorous training for at least ten years, honing their skills in a wide range of performing arts disciplines including acting, singing, mime, dance, and acrobatics. These skilled artists showcase hundreds of intricately choreographed gestures utilizing various parts of the body such as sleeves, hands, fingers, feet, and legs. Each movement and action taken by a Beijing Opera performer is imbued with profound symbolic meaning. The aesthetic appeal of their movements serves as the primary criterion for evaluating their skill level. Furthermore, performers must convey the layers of meaning embedded within each gesture in perfect synchrony with the music accompanying them. Within Jingju, characters are broadly categorized into four distinct categories: Sheng (male roles), Jing (roles featuring painted faces), Dan (female roles), and Chou (male clowns). This intricately crafted opera doll depicts a Dan, or female, character known as Mu Guiying (in red), a celebrated and beloved female General and warrior inspired by the famous "Generals of the Yang Clan" tales.