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Traditional Sichuan Opera in Rural Chinaby Kevin Frayer

Sichuan Opera performer Yi Lezhong, 65, smokes during a break backstage during a performance 休息中的 65 歲演員

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Sichuan opera is a vibrant art form that showcases the joys and challenges of daily life in rural China with tales

of love, tradition, and family honour. It is the youngest form of Chinese opera, originating in China's Sichuan

province at the end of the Ming Dynasty and the beginning of the Qing Dynasty (around 1700). The tradition

suffered a setback during the Cultural Revolution, the period of persecution set into motion in May 1966 by

Communist Party Chairman Mao tse-Tung to reassert his ideological authority. The operas were banned and

most of the troupes were disbanded, but they were revived in the late 1970s.

Award-winning photographer Kevin Frayer travelled to Cangshan in Sichuan province to watch the Jinyuan

Opera Company perform. He told IBTimes UK: "As a photographer it was a lovely experience. The performers

were warm and inviting and I greatly admire their dedication to keeping this tradition alive.“

-- IBT

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Sichuan opera is a vibrant, centuries-old tradition that showcases the joys and challenges of daily life in rural China with tales of love, tradition and family honour川劇是一個充滿活力，傳統和家族榮譽

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A performer applies stage makeup 化妝中

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Sichuan Opera performer Wu Dezhi, 51, backstage before the start of the show 51 歲演員準備表演

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Sichuan Opera performer Wu Yonghong, 26, prepares before a performance 26 歲演員上台前的準備

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Wu Yonghong, 26, of the Jinyuan Opera Company prepares backstage before performing 26 歲演員上台前的準備

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Sichuan Opera performer Wu Yonghong, 26, smokes as he waits during a performance by the Jinyuan Opera Company 26 歲演員表演過程中，等待上場

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Wang Zhiwen, 69, waits to enter the stage during the group‘s performance at the Dongyue Temple 69 歲演員準備上台

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Yi Lezhing, 65, waits to enter the stage during the Jinyuan Opera Company‘s performance for villagers at the Dongyue Temple in Cangshan 65 歲演員準備上台

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Wu Yonghong, 26, waits backstage for his cue to perform 26 歲演員等待被指示上台

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Local villagers watch a Sichuan Opera performed by members of the Jinyuan Opera Company at the Dongyue Temple 村民觀賞川劇

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Elderly villagers watch a performance 年長的村民

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Local village men watch a performance 當地村委會的人觀看演出

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A young girl sits near the stage during a performance 靠近舞台的小女孩

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Lin Lijuan, 69, rehearses as village woman look on at the Dongyue Temple in Cangshan, Sichuan province 排練中的 69 歲演員

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Sichuan Opera performer Wang Zhiwen, 69, rests backstage during the Jinyuan Opera Company‘s performance 69 歲演員後台休息中

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Yi Lezhong, 65, sleeps backstage during a performance for villagers at the Dongyue Temple in Cangshan, Sichuan province 65 歲演員後臺睡覺中

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Sichuan Opera performer Wang Zhiwen, 69, smokes backstage as he takes a break during a performance 69 歲演員在演出中後台休息

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Performers of the Jinyuan Opera Company eat lunch during a break at the Dongyue Temple in Cangshan, Sichuan province 共進午餐

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A quick break for lunch 短暫休息吃午飯

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Some of the performers rest between performances 在演出過程中於後台休息

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Faux beards hang with the costumes backstage 後台服裝與道具

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The rustic power supply box for sound and lighting is seen during the performance at the Dongyue Temple in Cangshan, Sichuan province 鄉村風格的電源箱

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A low cost portable speaker is seen on the belt of an actor from the Jinyuan Opera Company during a performance for villagers at the Dongyue Temple in Cangshan, Sichuan province 低價攜待式的擴音器

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Performers from the Jinyuan Opera Company walk in a procession during a prayer ritual before the group‘s performance for villagers at the Dongyue Temple in Cangshan, Sichuan province 演出前的廟宇宗教儀式

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Wu Dezhi performs a prayer ritual in front of statues of the Buddha before the group’s performance 劇團在佛像前做祈福儀式

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Wu Dezhi performs a prayer ritual in front of statues of the Buddha before the group’s performance 劇團在佛像前做祈福儀式

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Members of the Jinyuan Opera Company 劇團成員

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Lin Lijuan and husband Wang Zhiwen during the performance 69 歲的夫妻同台

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Yi Lezhong smokes a cigarette as Ling Qunying gets ready before the group‘s performance 表演前先抽根菸

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Wu Yonghong, 26, prepares backstage before performing for villagers at the Dongyue Temple in Cangshan, Sichuan province 26 歲演員

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Sichuan Opera performer Wu Yonghong, 26, sits with wife Zhang Qingqing and son Wu Xichen 年輕夫妻演員一家人

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Sichuan Opera performer Wu Yonghong, 26, holds his son on stage before the group‘s performance 26 歲演員上台前抱著兒子

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Lin Lijuan, 69, prepares for her performance 69 歲演員

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Sichuan Opera performer Lin Lijuan, 69, displays old pictures of herself in costume 69 歲演員展示老照片

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As the traditional audience grows older, the opera is struggling to survive as younger generations are leaving the countryside for the cities to seek employment 觀眾老化，年輕人往城市發展，川劇在農村中掙扎

40May 8, 2016 王文堯 Kaohsiung Taiwan R.O.C All photos were taken from The Guardian,IBT,Internet…ect . Music : Guzheng-Autumn Moon over the Calm Lake THE END