How did Empress Dowager Cixi contribute to the rise of Peking opera?

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kunqu performer — Chinese performing arts Contemporary *kunqu* performer.

Empress Dowager Cixi played a significant role in the rise of Peking opera (also known as jingxi) during the late Qing dynasty. While the art form had already established widespread popularity among commoners and was performed in public teahouses, it is widely believed that Cixi’s imperial patronage helped the genre gain greater stature and prestige.12

By providing court support, Cixi elevated the status of the opera troupes that performed this vigorous and highly theatrical style of drama. Her interest in the performing arts helped solidify the position of jingxi within the cultural landscape of the era, further cementing its development as a major national form of Chinese drama.12