About us

Jingkun Chinese Atrs is a London-based non-profit organisation committed to preserving, innovating, and promoting the traditional performing arts of China—particularly the refined forms of Peking Opera and Kunqu Opera.

As a cultural organisation rooted in public benefit, our mission is to foster cultural exchange, artistic experimentation, and community engagement through performances, education, and creative collaboration. We believe that both heritage and contemporary expression are essential parts of a living theatrical tradition.

Founded by classically trained artists, scholars, and creative practitioners, Jingkun blends tradition with a modern voice. Our work includes:

Live performances of both traditional operas and contemporary theatre

Workshops, classes, and lectures for schools, universities, and cultural institutions

Cross-disciplinary projects and outreach programmes to bring Chinese performing arts into diverse communities and contexts

Our productions have toured across the UK, Europe and China. Whether performing on stage or teaching in classrooms, our team shares the elegance, rhythm, and narrative power of Chinese opera with passion and artistry.

We are committed to reinvesting our efforts and resources into cultural education and community benefit. We believe that traditional arts, when nurtured through collaboration and creativity, remain a living force—resonating with contemporary audiences and enriching global cultural dialogue.

We look forward to meeting you—whether online or in person—and sharing with you the beauty of tradition and the spark of contemporary expression.

Our Team

Wanjin Li

Graduated from the Acting Department of the Central Academy of Drama China, trained under Zhang Yijuan of the Xun school of Peking Opera and Kunqu opera artist Cheng Rong. She combines a profound traditional foundation with contemporary performance concepts. PhD in Theatre Performance at the University of Warwick; Inheritor of China’s Intangible Cultural Heritage.

She was awarded the Gold Medal of the Peking Opera “Xiaomeihua” and named an International Ambassador for Chinese Traditional Culture. She has been invited multiple times by the Chinese Embassy in the UK for performances and cultural exchange.

Representative works include the chinese opera The Covetousness, the Peking Operas Selling Water, Picking Up the Jade Bracelet, Xin’an Courier Station, and A Visit in Memory, as well as the large-scale contemporary drama Water Margin. She has toured extensively with these productions, performing on stages across the globe, including in Paris, Lyon, Milan, Madrid, New Delhi, Fes, and Bucharest, and introducing Chinese opera to the world. She has appeared in the digital film The Unicorn Purse, CCTV’s (China Central Television) Peking Opera Audio-Visual Archive Fragrant Sash, and the spoken drama Sunrise

Sonyuan He

Graduated from the National Academy of Chinese Theatre Arts, trained in Peking Opera Hualian (painted face) under Gao Ying and Zhao Zhenwu; Kunqu training under Chen Zhiping. Trained in percussion by Liu Yue, under the renowned Kunqu drum master Wang Mingqiang.

Recipient of the national “Xiaomeihua Cup” Gold Medal; invited to perform Peking Opera Jinshatan (The Battle of Golden Sands) at the German Presidential Palace’s “Citizens’ Open Day.” Subsequently settled in Europe to explore the fusion of traditional opera and avant-garde theatre.

In recent years, he has performed peking opera and Kunqu classics at international venues including the China Pavilion opening ceremony at Expo Dubai, United Nations Chinese Language Day in New York, and exclusive events for Spotify. He has also taught Peking Opera workshops at the State University of New York, dedicating himself to the global dissemination of Chinese opera.

Yuxiao Chen

Graduated from the National Academy of Chinese Theatre Arts. Began studying the Chinese bamboo flute at age seven. Trained under bamboo flute masters Yuan Feifan and Jiang Jinghong, and Kunqu musician Sun Jian’an. Served as principal flautist for Shanghai Tianchan Yifu Stage Kunqu full-length productions of Lianhuan Ji (The Linked Stratagems) and Changsheng Dian (The Palace of Eternal Life). Has taught flute and xiao (Vertical bamboo flute) courses at the State University of New York.

Performance experience includes major venues such as Carnegie Hall in New York, the United Nations Headquarters, and the Asian Cultural Centre; has also performed at the German Presidential Palace. Collaborated with the Duisburg Philharmonic Orchestra in Germany to premiere a new bamboo flute concerto, showcasing the contemporary expressive power of traditional music in an international context.

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