Trapdoors
and Wells:
The Great theatre Building is a three-storied structure, 21 meters
high and 17 meters wide on the lowest floor. There are trapdoors
above and below the floor for "Fairies" to descend from the
sky and "devils" to rise up from the earth. There is also
a well and five ponds under the stage for water scenes. Discover more...
Makeup
tower
Connected with the stage was the makeup tower, a place for performers
to put on makeup. It is also called backstage, in which an exhibition
of colorful costumes for Beijing opera, a musical box, and an old piano
are now on display.
Two
rickshaws given by Japan as a gift to Empress Dowager Cixi,
and a car presented by a high-ranking official named Yuan shikai are
also shown here. But Empress Dowager cixi never used this car because
she couldn't tolerate the driver sitting in front of her.
The
Hall of Pleasure Smile
The Hall of Pleasure Smile stands opposite the stage at a distance of
less than 20 meters (22 yards). This was where Empress Dowager Cixi
enjoyed the performances. The gold lacquered throne in the center of
the hall was a gift for Empress Dowager Cixi's 70 birthday.
Empress
Dowager Cixi used to sit on a wooden bed by the window to watch the
performances, Emperor Guangxu sat outside on the front porch to the
left of the entrance and other high officials sat along the east and
west verandas, which are changed to exhibition rooms now. In the hall
there are four screens symbolizing the four seasons
of a year. Peach blossom or peony stands for spring, lotus flower for
summer, chrysanthemum for autumn and narcissus or plum for winter.
high and 17 meters wide on the lowest floor. There are trapdoors
above and below the floor for "Fairies" to descend from the
sky and "devils" to rise up from the earth. There is also
a well and five ponds under the stage for water scenes. Discover more...