As an important component of China’s cultural “going global” strategy, the overseas dissemination of Chinese opera has garnered significant attention from academia, resulting in abundant research outcomes. However, existing studies lack sufficient elucidation of the knowledge transformation process during its westward dissemination. This research places the westward dissemination of Chinese opera within the framework of transknowletology, systematically reviewing the translation and transmission process and examining the role of translation practices in constructing a global understanding of Chinese opera. The research reveals that the localization of Chinese opera knowledge into the global context undergoes three cognitive phases: storytelling, literary appreciation, and stage performance. Throughout these phases, translation practices deeply explore the essence of Chinese opera knowledge and promote its global circulation, effectively facilitating the construction of a global understanding of localized Chinese opera knowledge. This study aims to broaden the research perspective of transknowletology and to explore the critical role of translation practices in promoting the international dissemination of China’s outstanding traditional culture.