Prestigious Henan opera performer Ma Jinfeng died at the age of 100 on Sunday. Caixin looks back at classic performances by Ma. Photo: IC Photo

Ma does her own makeup before going on stage in Xi’an in 2002 aged 80. Her makeup box has been with her for decades. Photo: VCG

Ma performs Henan opera on stage in 2002 at the age of 80. Photo: VCG

Ma performs her masterpiece ‘Lady General Mu Takes Command’ in Luoyang, Central China’s Henan province, in 2004. Photo: VCG

Ma (center) performs Henan opera in Luoyang, Central China’s Henan province, in 2011, aged 89. Photo: VCG

Ma performs her masterpiece ‘Lady General Mu Takes Command’ in Guangzhou, South China’s Guangdong province, in 2016, at the age of 94. Photo: VCG

Ma studied under Peking Opera master Mei Lanfang from 1953. In an interview with CCTV 4 in Luoyang, Central China’s Henan province, in 2005, she is shown pointing to her photo with Mei. Photo: VCG

Ma has been the subject of several classic images in her long career, during which she performed more than 200 traditional operas. On the left, she appeared on stage at age 12 in a performance of the “Little Garden.” On the right, she performed in a stage production of “Cheng Yaojin’s Wife.” Photo: Xinhua

As the founder of the Ma school of Henan opera, Ma is best known for her work ‘Lady General Mu Takes Command,’ which tells the tale of a legendary heroine named Mu Guiying from the ancient Northern Song Dynasty who took command aged 53 to defeat the invading Liao troops. Photo: IC Photo