The sheng is a role type in Chinese opera for dignified and respectable male characters such as Confucian scholars, nobles, or heads of households. They may be portrayed by actors of either sex.
Subtypes
is an example of a character. is an example of a character. Attached to his helmet are two six-foot long pheasant feathers, known as , which indicate his military profession. The has numerous subtypes. The two major subdivisions are the (older gentlemen) and (younger gentlemen), with another important subtype being the (martial men). ====== The () is a dignified older role, usually distinguished by a long, thin, three-part beard. Depending on the character's rank in society, the costume of the may be either elaborate or simple. In Peking opera, these characters sing in a high, shrill voice with occasional breaks to represent the voice changing period of adolescence. The subcategories of are the () and the (). The roles possess martial skills and are frequently young generals. Often, their filigree helmets are appended with two long pheasant feathers known as (). ====== The () is a martial character for roles involving combat. They are highly trained in acrobatics, and have a natural voice when singing. In Peking opera, is further divided into two subcategories based on the character's costume: • The () are high-ranking warriors who wear armor (, ), helmets, and high-soled boots. They mainly use prop weapons. • The () are individual fighters or disenfranchised criminals who wear tight jackets and trousers known as () or () and thin-soled boots. Some of them wear a beret known as (). They are more likely to engage in hand-to-hand combat. ==Cross-gender acting==
Cross-gender acting
In Yue opera, roles have been mainly portrayed by actresses. Actresses playing men () is also common in some southern genres like Teochew opera and Taiwanese opera. It also appears in Ping opera. In Peking opera, Meng Xiaodong was perhaps the first female superstar who specialized in roles. ==References==