Why were teahouses important places for Peking opera troupes?

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

Teahouses were essential venues for Peking opera (or jingxi) troupes because they served as both rehearsal spaces and primary performance venues that provided the troupes with significant financial support.1

During the Qing dynasty, it became customary for troupes to rehearse in public teahouses. Over time, these spaces evolved into regular performance venues where the opera was widely patronized by local audiences. Even after the fall of the Manchu dynasty and the end of formal court support in 1912, teahouses remained vital locations where troupes continued to perform for the public.12