Chen Kaige's Peking Opera themed movie Forever Enthralled about icon Mei Lanfang has given the traditional art form a new lease of life and even photographic studios are profiting.

Hu Shuxue, 23, an advertising executive recently spent half her weekend and 980 yuan dressing up in Peking Opera costumes and being snapped, after watching the movie.

"After seeing my 'traditional photo album' all my colleagues want to take photos dressed as Peking Opera characters like Madame White Snake, Du Liniang or Yu Ji," Hu says.

Producing Peking Opera photos has become trendy. Currently, in Beijing, there are around 10 studios catering to customers who want Peking Opera themed photos.

A photographer snaps pictures of a customer dressed as a Peking Opera character in the Shaoduo Peking Opera Photography Studio in Beijing. Courtesy of Shaoduo Peking Opera Photography Studio

 

Yang Shaoduo set up Shaoduo Peking Opera Photography Studio seven years ago. In the beginning, Yang shot just professional performers, but this changed dramatically in mid-December when Forever Enthralled came out.

"The number of ordinary people who want these kind of photos suddenly increased after the movie was released," Yang says. "They are all about 27 years old or so, and most of them are females."

Hu thinks the most obvious attraction is the dramatic Peking Opera make-up. It takes nearly two hours to complete the process, during which time professional performers teach some basic skills, such as expressions, movements and poses.

"I got a really good lesson in this art taking these photos," Hu says.

Hu also paid a visit to Mei Lanfang Memorial Museum, a siheyuan at 9, Huguosi Street, in Beijing's Xicheng district, where Mei spent his last 10 years.

Ruifu Xiyuan, a Peking Opera house, collaborates with the Beijing nightclub Yugong Yishan.

"It is funny to enact a traditional art form in such a modern place," says Li Ruishui, 24, a Peking Opera beginner.