During Emperor Qian Long's reign, four large Pi Huang companies from Anhui traveled to the capital for the emperor's birthday celebrations. The emperor was enthralled. From that time for ward, performers remained in Beijing to develop their art, in time creating the Peking Opera.
乾隆年間，四大徽班進京祝壽，更受到皇室喜愛，從此藝人留在北京發展，逐漸形成今天「京腔京調」的京劇。