Instruments of Beijing Opera

Beijing Opera Index

What are music instruments used in Beijing opera?

The Peking Opera band mainly consists of orchestra band and percussion band.

The former frequently accompanies peaceful scenes while the later often follows scenes of war and fighting.

The commonly used percussion instruments include castanets, drums, bells and cymbals. One person usually plays the castanets and the drum simultaneously, which are the conductor of the whole band.

The orchestral instruments mainly compose of the Erhu, the Huqin, the Yueqin, the Sheng (reed pipe), the Pipa (lute) and other instruments.

The band usually sits at the left side of the exit of the stage.