It began with China’s great writers of the 20th Century and the “Masters of the Century” documentary series turns its attention to the greats of Peking Opera.

Shooting of the episodes on Peking Opera maestros has just begun. The series will mainly follow the art careers of four master performers: Mei Lanfang, Shang Xiaoyun, Cheng Yanqiu and Xun Huisheng. Their stories account for twelve of the series’ 130-minute episodes.

A joint production of China Central Television and Central Newsreel Studio, the series also covers literature, drama, music, painting, and calligraphy, and examines the lives of forty-two 20th-Century masters across these disciplines. Broadcasting has already begun on more than 20 TV stations in China.