![China's NPC & CPPCC In Process China's NPC & CPPCC In Process](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/gettyimages-163287289.jpg?quality=85&w=2400)
Mei Baojiu, one of the foremost performers of China’s famous Peking opera, died on Monday aged 82, according to Chinese state media.
Mei died around 11 a.m. local time at a hospital in Beijing after going into a coma following a bronchial spasm, state-run news agency Xinhua quoted his theater company as saying. He had reportedly been hospitalized for nearly a month.
The renowned artist furthered the “Mei school” of opera pioneered by his father, legendary Peking opera artiste Mei Lanfang. He was best-known for his portrayal of female characters in famous plays like The Drunken Beauty and Farewell My Concubine.
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Why Biden Dropped Out
- Ukraine’s Plan to Survive Trump
- The Rise of a New Kind of Parenting Guru
- The Chaos and Commotion of the RNC in Photos
- Why We All Have a Stake in Twisters’ Success
- 8 Eating Habits That Actually Improve Your Sleep
- Welcome to the Noah Lyles Olympics
- Get Our Paris Olympics Newsletter in Your Inbox
Write to Rishi Iyengar at rishi.iyengar@timeasia.com