Liu Xuetao

Biography

Liu Xuetao (1922–2011) was a renowned Peking opera actor specializing in the young male (xiaosheng) roles. Born in Kaifeng, Henan province, he began learning the art at the age of nine under his father Liu Junting, and made his stage debut at twelve. At seventeen, he studied under Xu Biyun. In 1952, he became a disciple of Jiang Miaoxiang and was recognized as a bearer of the Jiang school tradition. He joined the Beijing Peking Opera Troupe No. 3 in 1953. He collaborated with many opera stars, most notably Zhang Junqiu, with whom he worked for 44 years. He performed numerous classic stage works, including the 1958 opera film "Pavilion of River View" (望江亭). In his later years, he took up painting, with bamboo as his favorite subject. He is regarded as one of the foremost xiaosheng performers of Peking opera in the 20th century.