In making a new opera, characterization is very important, and the set character types of traditional opera are often insufficient. There's nothing new about transcending these limitations by merging and melding traditional character types. Years ago Mei Lanfang combined traits of the qingyi (leading female) and huadan (vivacious female) roles to create a new type of role, the huashan, that combines features of both.
創作一齣新戲，角色的刻畫很重要，傳統限定的行當（京劇中生、旦、淨、末、丑的角色分類）往往不夠用，而要打破界限重新揉合，這其實也不是新鮮事，當年梅蘭芳就把「青衣」與「花旦」兩者揉合成一個新行當「花衫」。