Chinese opera circuit in 10 days

Day by day

1. Day 1 · beijing

   Arrive Beijing — orientation

   Check in. Afternoon at the National Museum for historical grounding. Evening: introductory Peking opera performance at the Liyuan Theatre (inside Qianmen Jianguo Hotel) or the Huguang Guild Hall — both offer subtitled programmes aimed at first-time audience members.

   Attractions: national-museum-china

2. Day 2 · beijing

   Peking opera — backstage and full performance

   Morning at the Prince Gong Mansion for its historical connection to the development of Peking opera during the Qing. Afternoon backstage tour at the Mei Lanfang Memorial Hall — the home-museum of China's most celebrated dan (female role) performer. Evening full-length jingju at the Chang'an Grand Theatre.

3. Day 3 · beijing

   Forbidden City, then high-speed rail to Suzhou

   Final Beijing morning: Forbidden City or the Temple of Heaven. Early afternoon train from Beijing South to Suzhou (4.5 hours by high-speed rail, or 5.5 hours to Shanghai Hongqiao then 25 minutes to Suzhou). Check in near the old city.

   Attractions: forbidden-city, temple-of-heaven

4. Day 4 · suzhou

   Suzhou — Kunqu heritage and garden afternoon

   Morning at the Suzhou Kunqu Opera Museum in the Pan Gate area — a working performance space in a classical courtyard that hosts regular daytime programme. Afternoon in the Humble Administrator's Garden or the Master of Nets Garden; the Master of Nets hosts a nightly garden opera programme (usually April–October,).

   Attractions: humble-administrators-garden, master-of-nets-garden

5. Day 5 · suzhou

   Suzhou — Silk Museum and evening Kunqu performance

   Morning at the Suzhou Silk Museum, whose exhibits on embroidery and weaving connect to the costumes central to Kunqu. Afternoon free for canals and the Tiger Hill pagoda. Evening full Kunqu performance at the Suzhou Kunqu Theatre — check current programme in advance.

   Attractions: tiger-hill-suzhou

6. Day 6 · shanghai

   Travel to Shanghai — Yueju introduction

   25-minute train from Suzhou to Shanghai Hongqiao. Check in. Afternoon at the Shanghai History Museum for context on the city's entertainment culture — the Yifu Theatre on Fuzhou Road is central Shanghai's main Yueju venue, check current programme. Evening casual walk through Tianzifang.

   Attractions: shanghai-history-museum, tianzifang

7. Day 7 · shanghai

   Shanghai — Yueju performance and French Concession

   Morning in the French Concession — the area's 1930s café culture is part of the milieu in which Yueju (Shanghai opera, performed in the Wu dialect) developed its romantic repertoire. Afternoon at the Shanghai Museum. Evening Yueju performance at the Majestic Theatre or Tianchan Yifu Theatre.

   Attractions: french-concession, shanghai-museum

8. Day 8 · chengdu

   Fly to Chengdu — Sichuan opera teahouse preview

   Morning flight Shanghai to Chengdu (approximately 3 hours). Check in. Evening at a teahouse Sichuan opera show — Shufeng Yayun in the Qingyang Palace area or the Jinjiang Theatre offer shorter tourist-format programmes with face-changing, fire-breathing, and shadow puppetry.

   Attractions: kuanzhai-alley

9. Day 9 · chengdu

   Chengdu — pandas and full Sichuan opera evening

   Morning at the Giant Panda Research Base (active before 10 am). Afternoon rest or Wuhou Shrine. Evening full-length Sichuan opera performance — face-changing is typically the closing act of a programme that includes acrobatics, puppet shows, and shadow play.

   Attractions: panda-base-chengdu, wuhou-shrine

10. Day 10 · chengdu

    Chengdu — depart

    Final morning: Wenshu Monastery for a quiet breakfast in the monastery courtyard tea garden, an institution in Chengdu life. Depart from Chengdu Shuangliu Airport.

    Attractions: wenshu-monastery

Budget guide (CNY per day)

Opera ticket prices vary from CNY 50 (teahouse shows) to CNY 400+ (full-length classical performances); budget excludes one domestic flight.