Mei Lanfang's 120th Birthday

Mei Lanfang (1894–1961) was the foremost male practitioner of the dan role type in Peking opera — the female impersonator tradition that was central to the art form for centuries. His 1930 North American tour is credited with introducing Peking opera to Western audiences on a serious critical level, and Bertolt Brecht's theories on alienation effect are often traced in part to his encounters with Mei's performance style.

The commemorative note was issued by the People's Bank of China as part of its cultural figures series. Mei Lanfang was also honored on a 1962 stamp set, making this a rare case of a figure reaching banknote status more than fifty years after his first philatelic appearance.