Chengdu: Shufeng Yayun Sichuan Opera at Century-Old Teahouse

Sichuan’s century-old opera house. You can watch the actors applying their makeup backstage. Watch face-changing from a bamboo chair with tea and snacks for all.
This traditional-style theater building sits on Qintai Ancient Path, next to Qingyang Palace, on the very lane where legend says the poet Sima Xiangru and Zhuo Wenjun sold wine and played the qin together 2,000 years ago. The building itself was once a gathering place for the finest Sichuan opera performers of its era.

The program runs about 90 minutes, with a rotating lineup of acts. Face-changing — the technique is unique to Sichuan opera, and no one outside the troupe knows how it’s done. Fire-spitting follows, flames shooting from the performer’s mouth. Rolling Lantern (滚灯) is the comedy act — a man who gambled away his money and must balance a lit oil lamp on his head while his wife scolds him, a routine that has audiences laughing for centuries. There are also hand shadow puppets, stick puppets, folk music, and a comic opera skit.

Arrive early and you see the performers backstage, putting on their makeup and costumes before the show. This is the quiet hour before the loud one — you can watch, take photos, and ask questions. Then the lights go down, the gongs sound, and the show begins.

Seating comes in tiers. Standard seats include covered-bowl tea and sunflower seeds. VIP seats are closer to the stage and include one complimentary service: ear cleaning (a traditional Chengdu teahouse custom), a shoulder massage, a dessert, or a small cultural souvenir. Choose when you book.

The venue is inside Chengdu Culture Park, a 10-minute walk from Qingyang Palace.

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