The Makeup and Costumes of Chinese Opera

The makeup and costumes of Chinese Opera are one of the most important pieces in the performance. You can tell a lot about a character when you look at these. When looking at pictures or a video clip, it makes you feel as if you've been taken back in time to an unfamiliar but exciting place.

The makeup, also called Chinese Opera masks, is very colorful. The performers used to wear a mask but stopped due to the audience not being able to see their expressions. Now they paint directly on the performers face. You can tell if a character is good or evil by looking at the main color.

Red makeup stands for loyalty and courage while black stands for fairness and justice. White represents craftiness and treacherous but it is also used on clowns. Blue is stubborn and brave while green is impulsive and violent. Purple stands for honest, upright citizens. Last but not least, gold and silver are used for gods and spirits.

The colors and designs of the costumes are also meaningful. They show the social status of a character. Yellow is worn by the imperial family and blue is worn by students. Red equals high nobility. High ranking military officials often have a tiger head or dragon on the front of their costume.

The performers also wear either a headdress or hat. The more important a character, the more elaborate it will be. The most elaborate headdresses are decorated with sequins and pearls. The hats that scholars and officials wear have two fins on the back. Military characters wear a headdress that has two large pheasant plumes; the spikes that sit on top are about six or seven feet.

The water sleeves are an important element of the costumes. They consist of an extra long piece of white silk that runs along the bottom of the sleeve. The performers use them in dance, when angry, or to make a point.

And of course, what is an outfit without shoes? There are ones called Go Hur which look like boots and have a tall platform sole. They are usually worn by males. The shoes for warriors have a flat sole for both females and males. The female warriors have more embroidery and are more colorful than the males shoes. Other female shoes are also made with flat soles and are adorned with embroidery and tassels.

As you can see, there is a lot of painstaking work that goes into creating these beautiful, elaborate costumes. The colors of the characters makeup and costumes give clues as to their meaning. To be lucky enough to see the Chinese Opera in person would be a delightful, mesmerizing experience.

Works cited:

Baker, Will; Thomas, Guy. "Chinese Masks for the new Year and for the Opera." Will and Guy's Funny Jokes, Short Stories & Amusing Pictures. Will Baker, Thomas Guy. n.d. Web. 15 Feb. 2010. http://www.guy-sports.com/humor/christmas/chinese_new_year_mask_lantern.htm#Chinese_Opera_Masks

Online posting. Oracle Think Quest. Oracle Education Foundation. 15 Aug. 2008. Web. 15 Feb. 2010. http://library.thinkquest.org/03oct/01397/ctumdres.htm