COSTUMES of Peking Opera play a pivotal role in helping viewers understand and appreciate the opera as a whole. Known in Chinese as "xingtou"(costumes of actors) or "juzhuang"(Peking Opera costumes), these general terms describe the clothing worn by various characters in Peking Opera. With exquisite embroidery, exaggerated patterns and bright colors, the costumes give the audience a sense of luxury and beauty.