The Art and Symbolism of Peking Opera Performance
The Symbolic Language of Peking Opera Facial Makeup
Fans of Peking Opera are familiar with its deep cultural connotations. Theatre-goers recognize the unique language conveyed through the colors, patterns, and historical background of the facial makeup. The ethics, wisdom, and philosophy of traditional Chinese culture are reflected in the makeup, indicating the specific character or role the actor is portraying.
The colors and patterns reveal whether a character is good or evil, loyal or wicked, as well as their personality, age, and temperament. Colors represent the following attributes:
- Red: Braveness and loyalty
- Black: Uprightness and impartiality
- White: Cunning and craftiness
- Blue: Valor and power
- Yellow: Insidiousness and cruelness
- Green: Stubbornness and stalwartness
Patterns are based on folklore and literature. For example, in Pilgrimage to the West, the Monkey King has golden eyes and Buddhism beads painted on his forehead. Guan Yu, a character in the novel The Romance of the Three Kingdoms, is famously red-faced with a long, up-bended eye. Bao Zheng, who is the quintessence of a just judge in China, was once a god in heaven, which is symbolized by a crescent painted on his forehead.
The Four Fundamental Skills of Peking Opera
In Peking Opera, musical dialogues and choreographed actions explain daily life through four core performance elements:
- Singing (Chang)
- Dialogue (Nian)
- Acting and Movement (Zuo)
- Martial Arts and Acrobatics (Da)
These elements represent the achievements of Chinese culture, where music and dancing elevate ordinary life to an art form and a philosophy of life.
Vocal Performance: Singing and Dialogue
The musical voice is an integration of arts. Sentences are often prolonged in singing, which may initially be confusing to foreign audiences. This technique expresses the deep sentiment of the character through music and rhyme.
Nian Bai – the spoken part – is a special, stylized form of language delivery.
Choreographed Movement and Symbolic Action
Acting involves choreographed body movement. Common acts of daily life are stylized and exaggerated to portray the personality and temperament of the characters. These movements include:
- Hand gestures
- Eye expressiveness
- Body movements
- Walking steps
Body movements are purposefully exaggerated to show tension in the opera and the mood fluctuations of the characters. Instead of using large stage props, many symbolic actions are used to represent complex actions such as:
- Opening and closing a door
- Horse-riding
- Rowing a boat
- Mountain climbing
- River crossing
All the characters are in robes and facial makeup, creating many scenes, such as characters horse-driving and rowing on an empty stage.
Martial Arts (Kongfu) and Stage Combat
Martial Arts, or Kongfu, is choreographed artistically. It serves more as a representation of parts of a story than as actual fighting. Life is exaggerated for dramatic effect.
Stage Conventions and Musicians
Musicians are positioned on stage to the side, not hidden in a ‘pit’ as is common in Western opera or musicals. This visible placement emphasizes their integral role in the performance.
Historical Roles and the Rise of Female Characters
Historically, female roles in Chinese theatre were usually played by men. Most renowned were four famous stars who specialized in playing women (dan roles), with Mei Lan-fang being one of the most discussed. Before these artists, Peking Opera was largely monopolized by the male perspective, and female characters often played only supporting roles. These four artists changed this tradition, allowing female characters to take center stage. Performance schools were even named after these influential actors.
For example, in The Drunken Concubine, Mei Lan-fang tells the story of Yang Yu-huan, the favorite concubine of the 6th-century Emperor Tang Ming-huang. The plot recounts: “One day they had set to drink in the Flower Pavilion to appreciate the moonlight. The concubine waited and waited, but the Emperor didn’t show up. The eunuch told her the Emperor had gone to another concubine’s palace instead. The concubine was so disappointed that she drank alone to disperse her unhappiness.”
The Dynamic Spectacle of Peking Opera Martial Arts
Peking Opera is unique in its integration of martial arts. To a background of quick drum beats and music, the actors maneuver all kinds of ancient Chinese weapons. The performers jump, move, skip, turn, and somersault, creating many awe-inspiring stunts on the stage.
The foundation of Peking Opera’s movement is the dance form of Chinese Kongfu.