lalava.blogg.se - Peking opera costume

Whilst other forms of Opera have masks to cover the face, Peking opera actors wear makeup.

Loyal and brave roles were a green costume.

Rude and reckless characters wear black.

Older characters wear greens (grass green to olive-green shades).

Young handsome officers or generals or lovers wear white.

Low-ranking officials or young men wear blue, however, there are different styles and color range to suggest position.

High ranking officials or intrepid military officers wear purple.

Emperors and imperial family members wear bright yellow.

So for example, each costume color is created with a specific meaning in mind that the audience, having knowledge of these conventions will understand immediately:

The Top Five Colours 上五色 (shàng wǔ sè) were red, yellow, black, green, and white whilst the Bottom Five 下五色 (xià wǔ sè) were blue, pink, purple, 秋香 (qiū xiāng) colors between grass green and olive green and 皎月 (jiǎo yuè) colors between river blue and blue. Originally, Peking Opera costumes were divided into the ‘Upper and Lower Five Colours’ 上下五色 (shàng xià wǔ sè). For example, an actor walking around in a circle suggests a long journey.

Peking Opera ConventionsĮvery movement, gesture, and glance has symbolic meaning in Peking opera and is based on imitation or mime 模仿 (mó fǎng). Training for children started at a young age and was often brutal, studying gymnastics, acrobatics, martial arts, singing and acting techniques from 5 am every morning. In the early 20th century, Peking Opera first went abroad to Japan, the United States, and Russia.īeing part of an opera troupe 戏班子 ( xì bān zi) is often something that is passed down through a family, so if your father and grandfather were involved in opera, then you were expected to join also. Peking Opera 京剧 (jīng jù) became popular at the end of the Qing Dynasty when the general public also became interested in opera. Whilst there are various different types of Chinese opera, in the modern-day, Beijing or Peking Opera is the most common type of opera and is said to be an amalgamation of the different opera styles in China.Ĭhinese operas are usually based on historical or mythical stories from the past and are a dramatic combination of music, singing, martial arts, and acrobatics.įor foreigners, and even contemporary Chinese people, the meaning behind a Chinese opera often goes misunderstood, however, many Jingju actors often have years of training before being allowed to perform on stage. Chinese opera 中国戏剧 (zhōng guó xì jù) has existed for hundreds of years, and has its own conventions and individual style.