"Fuliancheng," a 10-episode documentary featuring the legendary Peking Opera school of the same name, is set to hit Chinese television screens next month via the China Central Television (CCTV).
The series, which presents the institution's history since its establishment in 1904, is co-produced by Beijing Foreign Studies University, Renmin University of China and Central Studio of News Reels Production.
However, the date of premiere for the 30-minute-per-episode series has not yet been set.
Sun Ping, one of the co-producers, revealed that it took them five years to make the documentary. "We were extremely careful about the details when making the documentary, so we did not hurry."
Also a veteran Peking Opera performer and mentor, Sun has led the overseas promotions of the performing arts at the Renmin University and Beijing Foreign Studies University.
The documentary also features interviews with around 100 Peking Opera performers, students and children of Fuliancheng mentors.
Further sharing how meticulous the process of collecting material was, Sun said: "It took 20 years to collect the relevant material."
Fuliancheng was founded by Ye Chunshan. Since its establishment, it has nurtured about 800 top-level performers.
"The disciplines and operation of Fuliancheng define Peking Opera education. And its education style and management system have meant much more beyond its walls," 82-year-old Peking Opera scholar Niu Biao shared.
The documentary will also be aired overseas though the Confucius Institute. The team is currently working with the series' English subtitles.