Abstract: Opera is regarded as a bright pearl on the artistic crown. The book of History of Modern Chinese Operas written by MAN Xin-ying is an important achievement among the researches of Chinese Operas. It takes opera thinking as the main line for its study and maintains an academic neutral stand for the research work. It has mastered a great number of precious historical materials both from domestic and international sources, thus it has “re-discovered” a different kind of history of modern Chinese operas. This work appeals for “opera thinking”, which will surely help to improve the artistry of Chinese operas.

Key words: History of Modern Chinese Operas; opera thinking; theatricality; polyphony