They are stylizing form, color and pattern, and most of them are used by actors playing roles known as “Jing”. Painted faces are creations of generations of dramatic artists based on their life experience. With symbolic patterns, a painted face can reveal a character’s status and personality. This pattern represents a particular weapon called huohulu he habitually used. On his forhead is the pattern of an inverted gourd.
Take Meng Liang, a warrior of the Song Dynasty for example. Each pattern has its own symbolic meaning. Their patterns are associated with Chinese culture. Zhou Huabin added, “You’ll find that painted faces vary in design if you look at them closely.
Gold and silver are used on faces of deities, spirits and demons. Blue is the sign of a rebellious character. In Peking opera, red is the color of loyalty and bravery, and yellow suggests old age. Each of these colors has its own symbolic meaning. But the principal colors are red, yellow, blue, white, black, gold, and silver. We call this particular concept a preference for color or color cult.The colors used in the facial make－up in Peking opera are many. Zhou Huabin, professor of Peking opera painted face expert said, “Each and every nation has its own concept of colors and their symbolic meanings. As Chinese dramatic art developed, active or impersonated rude or robust characters began to paint their faces instead of wearing masks and thus created the art of facial make－up.įacial make－up enables audiences to know at a glance from the distance the personality of the character portrayed and to know his social status when near. Masks used in the ancient times are considered as the precursors of Peking opera painted faces. It is characterized by the use of bright colors to exaggerate or distort his features. The Peking opera painted face refers to the unique colorful make－up of an actor in the opera. Touch China > Glory of Chinese Civilization > Folk Arts
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