Monday marked the 80th anniversary of the Xi'an Incident, an important episode of Chinese modern history. To commemorate the event, a Peking Opera show was staged in the city of Xi'an itself, in northwest China's Shaanxi Province.

The Peking Opera show took the audience back to December 12, 1936. On that date, Kuomintang generals Zhang Xueliang and Yang Hucheng took Chiang Kai-shek hostage. They demanded Chiang stop the civil war and unite with the Communist Party of China in a national war against Japanese aggression.

The Peking Opera show took the audience back to December 12, 1936. On that date, Kuomintang generals Zhang Xueliang and Yang Hucheng took Chiang Kai-shek hostage. They demanded Chiang stop the civil war and unite with the Communist Party of China in a national war against Japanese aggression.

The incident and its peaceful settlement ended a decade of civil war, laying the foundation for the united war against Japan.

Later generations of the people involved in the Xi'an Incident, watched the show Monday night.

The show features famous Peking Opera artists such as Yu Kuizhi, Zhu Qiang and Li Shengsu. Their vivid portrayals expose the inner character of these individuals. The live music, stage design, and traditional costumes, helped the artists deliver a well-received performance.

These performances garnered a Wenhua Award for the Peking Opera's "The Xi'an Incident"... at the 11th China Arts Festival in November.

The incident and its peaceful settlement ended a decade of civil war, laying the foundation for the united war against Japan.