There are two types of Cantonese opera plays: Wu and Wen.

    Wu plays emphasize war, the characters usually being generals or warriors. These works contain action scenes and involve a lot of weaponry and armour.

   Wen plays tend to be gentler and more elegant. The characters put a lot of effort into creating distinctive facial expressions and gestures to express their underlying emotions.

   The use of instruments in Cantonese opera is influenced by both western and eastern cultures. The reason for this is that Canton was one of the earliest places in China to establish trade relationships with the western civilizations.

   The musical instruments are mainly divided into melodic and percussive types.

   Traditional musical instruments used in Cantonese opera include wind, strings and percussion. The winds and strings encompass erhu, gaohu, yueqin, yangqin, and dizi, while the percussion comprises many different drums and cymbals. The percussion controls the overall rhythm and pace of the music, while the gaohu leads the orchestra.