Full coverage: Peking Opera Master Mei Baojiu Passes Away

Mei Baojiu, a Peking Opera master, died at the age of 82 this morning in Beijing, according toBeijing News.

 Mei Baojiu performs at the opening ceremony of the 5th Beijing International Film Festival, April 16, 2015. [Photo/Xinhua]

 Peking Opera master artist Mei Baojiu [Photo/IC]

Mei Baojiu performs in Changchun, Jilin province, July 17, 2011. [Photo/IC]

Mei, the son of famous Peking Opera artist Mei Lanfang, passed away due to suddenrespiratory arrest, said an employee of Beijing Peking Opera Theater.

Mei Baojiu was born in Shanghai in 1934 and is the ninth child of Mei Lanfang. He is also thehead of Mei Lanfang Peking Opera troupe in Beijing Peking Opera Theater and has beenbehind such masterpieces as Farewell to My Concubine, Drunkened Concubine, and LadyGeneral Mu Takes Command.

As an inheritor of Mei school, he began to learn Peking Opera at 10 years old, staging his firstperformance at 13 , and performed with the founder of Mei School Mei Lanfang at 18 yearsold.

Mei, who had just celebrated his 82nd birthday, was invited to give lectures on Peking Operain universities.