<p>This is because they want to make the sound a little bit louder, because in the past there is no electric amplifier. </p>

<p>In the example, the changes are (1) from "ng" to "n", so that the nasal coda is lighter. (2) push vowel from "e" to "a" "o" because the mouth opens wider.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-02-27T02:30:46.340Z
2015-02-27T02:30:46.340Z
PdotWang
<p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peking_opera" rel="noreferrer">Peking Opera</a> has a distinct pronunciation, that is at first similar to Mandarin, but to astute listeners, certain characters appear to have alternate or even non-Mandarin pronunciations.</p>
<p>Take certain passages in <a href="http://baike.baidu.com/subview/1648982/13870761.htm" rel="noreferrer">三家店</a> for example (listen for yourself in <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gM0KsDlGb70" rel="noreferrer">this video</a>):</p>
<blockquote>
<p>将身儿来至在大<strong>街</strong>口 (jiai)</p>
<p>尊一<strong>声</strong>过往宾<strong>朋听</strong>从头 (shen, pong, tin)</p>
<p>一不是响马<strong>并贼</strong>寇 (bin, ze)</p>
<p>二不是歹人把<strong>城</strong>偷 (chen)</p>
<p>杨林与我来<strong>争</strong>斗 (zhen)</p>
<p>因此上发配到<strong>登</strong>州 (den)</p>
<p>舍不得太爷的恩<strong>情</strong>厚 (qin)</p>
<p>实难舍<strong>街</strong>坊四邻与我的好<strong>朋</strong>友 (jiai, pong)</p>
<p>...</p>
</blockquote>
<p>As you can see, the differences in pronunciation seem consistent, as if it is a formal part of Peking Opera instead of embellishments by the singers.</p>
<p>So is this true - there is a formal set of pronunciation rules for Peking Opera, analogous to a dialect? Where did this come from, was it based on one or many dialects, and if so which ones?</p>

<mandarin><topolect><culture>
Is there a "Peking Opera dialect"?
# Is there a "Peking Opera dialect"?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-02-26)

[Peking Opera](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peking_opera) has a distinct pronunciation, that is at first similar to Mandarin, but to astute listeners, certain characters appear to have alternate or even non-Mandarin pronunciations.

Take certain passages in [三家店](http://baike.baidu.com/subview/1648982/13870761.htm) for example (listen for yourself in [this video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gM0KsDlGb70)):

> 将身儿来至在大**街**口 (jiai)
>
> 尊一**声**过往宾**朋听**从头 (shen, pong, tin)
>
> 一不是响马**并贼**寇 (bin, ze)
>
> 二不是歹人把**城**偷 (chen)
>
> 杨林与我来**争**斗 (zhen)
>
> 因此上发配到**登**州 (den)
>
> 舍不得太爷的恩**情**厚 (qin)
>
> 实难舍**街**坊四邻与我的好**朋**友 (jiai, pong)
>
> ...

As you can see, the differences in pronunciation seem consistent, as if it is a formal part of Peking Opera instead of embellishments by the singers.

So is this true - there is a formal set of pronunciation rules for Peking Opera, analogous to a dialect? Where did this come from, was it based on one or many dialects, and if so which ones?

**Tags:** mandarin, topolect, culture

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2015-02-27. Score: 1

This is because they want to make the sound a little bit louder, because in the past there is no electric amplifier.

In the example, the changes are (1) from "ng" to "n", so that the nasal coda is lighter. (2) push vowel from "e" to "a" "o" because the mouth opens wider.


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