Cascading sleeve (Shuixiu) skills are special techniques in Peking Opera, to exaggerate the inner feelings of characters, portray their dispositions, set off the atmosphere and improve the effects. They are only mastered after hard training.

Sleeve skills are the lavish, dance-like movements made with flowing sleeves. There are dozens of movements, likened to clouds, flowing water, cotton fields, waves, wheels and towers. Sleeves whirled in a wheel-like or flying movement exaggerates the feelings of characters.

Holding up, spreading, throwing, shaking and flicking are favorite movements of the sleeve. The functions of cascading sleeves are as follows:

1.      For fanning

2.      For saluting

3.      For expressing the feeling of sorrow and shyness

4.      For wiping off tears

5.      For flicking off dust

6.      For embracing

7.      For directing, for instance, to show the brand that performance begins.