Ma Along, an actor from the China National Peking Opera Company, explains the differences between various Peking opera roles — sheng, dan, jing, and chou — at Prince Gong's Mansion in Beijing on Nov. 25, 2024. Sheng represents the male role, dan denotes female roles, jing refers to a prominent male character with striking features, and chou signifies a comedic role. [Photo by Yang Chuanli/China.org.cn]