The "Empress of Henan Opera" has died at the age of 81. Chang Xiangyu was a noted performer of Henan Opera, considered a symbol of the tradition by fans.

Chang's career in the traditional Chinese opera form spanned over seven decades. She developed a unique performing style and was best known for her rendition of "Hua Mulan". The story of the legendary heroine was filmed in in China 1956 and is still popular. It was made into a Disney animated feature half a century later.

(CCTV.com June 2, 2004)