Some of the colorful face masks used in performances. Zhu Xingxin / China Daily

Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province, has implemented a 72-hour visa-free policy since last September, which will further help the iconic culture to "go global", local officials say.

The visa policy allows citizens from 51 countries in Asia, Europe, the Americas and Oceania to spend three days in Chengdu if they have valid visas and onward flight tickets.

Chengdu is the first city in the western region of China to offer foreign tourists a three-day visa and the fourth nationwide to adopt the policy following Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou.

Sichuan Opera originated at the end of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and the beginning of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) as migrants flooded into the province.

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