Beijing opera (Peking 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, Tianjin and Shanghai. The art form is also enjoyed in Taiwan. It has also spread to other countries such as the United States and Japan.

With their elaborate and colorful costumes, performers utilize the skills of speech, song, dance, and combat in movements that are symbolic and suggestive, rather than realistic. The layers of meaning within each movement must be expressed in time with music. There are over 1,400 works of Beijing opera. They are based on Chinese history, folklore, and, increasingly, contemporary life.

In recent years, Beijing opera has attempted numerous reforms in response to sagging audience numbers. These reforms, which include improving performance quality, adapting new performance elements, and performing new and original plays, have met with mixed success. Some Western works have been adopted as new plays.