Peking opera or
Beijing opera is a form of
traditional Chinese theatre which combines music, vocal performance, mime, dance, and acrobatics. It arose in the late 18th century and became fully developed and recognized by the mid-19th century. The form was extremely popular in the
Qing dynasty court and has come to be regarded as one of the cultural treasures of China. Major performance troupes are based in
Beijing and
Tianjin in the north, and
Shanghai in the south. The art form is also preserved in
Taiwan, where it is known as
Guoju (國劇; "National theatre"). It has also spread to other countries such as the United States and Japan.