Yes, cutting off one's hair, nails and other bodily part is an important ritual, the sign of appreciation towards your Chinese opera teacher.

Those items then carefully gathered and hung on the wall by the teacher to showcase the level of the his/her achievements. Some use those items to create beautiful elaborate ornaments symbolizing unification of the three beginnings: Earth, Man and Sky.

It is a well known fact that the famous actor Jackie Chan as a child used to be a student of Chinese opera (this is where her has leant Martial Arts and acting btw). Not many know, however, that he has been expelled from the school for refusing to cut his long beautiful locks and give it as a present to his teacher. Luckily this had put an end of his career as a Chinese opera singer so he turned out to be a great movie actor whose works we all love and enjoy...