Chinese Opera was originally performed against only a backdrop with the other three sides open. The set is extremely simple; It includes a table, which might stand in for a desk, an official’s table, or even a hill or bridge. Spatial transitions from one place to another are smooth and economic. Over the centuries, the actors have developed a set of sophisticated stylized symbolism. The beards worn by male characters, flowing sleeves, fans, colored satin ribbons used in dances, and weapons used in fighting are all different types of banners that represent extensions of human limbs. All require a high degree of skill to manipulate and to depict rich theatrical meaning. Actors must begin receiving disciplined training from a very young age to be able to achieve naturally and with complete ease the singing and reciting style, eye movements, hand gestures, and gait that express the thoughts and emotions of the opera characters.
Librettos for Peking operas feature both tragic and comic elements, interspersed with singing, dancing, and poetic narration, to dramatize historical events and popular legends. Another style of performance features dialogue rendered in language close to everyday speech and pantomime executed with ordinary gestures. Heartwarming humor reflects and satirizes society while being educational and entertaining.
The character roles of Peking Opera are distinguished on the basis of sex, age, and personality. The four main character types are the sheng, tan, ching, and chou.
The sheng is a male character, which is further subdivided into the elderly sheng, the young sheng, and the martial sheng. The elderly sheng is a middle-aged-to-old man who wears a beard, and delivers his lines in a serious fashion. The military sheng is skilled in martial arts; included in this category is the role of the mischievous monkey-king, Sun Wu-k’ung. The young sheng is a cultivated gentleman who often plays a dashing young lover.
Tan refers to various female roles, including the elderly tan, the tan dressed in green, the flower tan, the sword-horse tan, and the martial tan. The elderly tan is the woman counterpart of the elderly male sheng. The tan dressed in green is a younger or middle-aged woman who is good, rational, and upright. The flower tan may be an innocent and outgoing girl or flirtatious and sassy. The military tan is a skilled fighter who often plays a female sprite in myths. The sword-horse tan is a cross between the flower tan and the martial tan; she is a female general who is bold, outgoing, and equally skilled in letters and military arts.
Although the ching and chou are supporting actors, they are still very important. The ching role is a strong-willed male character, either straightforward or scheming. His facial make-up is greatly exaggerated, so his role can be identified at a glance. The chou, or clown character is a very special one. The chou is a jocular, satirizing character who integrates his impromptu comic relief into the performance. He also steps out to make objective editorial comments on what is happening in the story.
Facial make-up in Chinese Opera, besides giving information about the personality traits and mind set of a character, also has inherent artistic interest. The designs and colors employed all have specific meanings. Red symbolizes loyalty and courage; black represents a bold and swashbuckling character; blue shows a calculating nature; and white portrays a deceitful and conniving individual. Silver and gold are reserved for the exclusive use of spirits and gods. A face that is made up in a straightforward and consistent manner is called a “complete face”; one that incorporates many diverse elements is referred to as a “fragmented face”.
