The Characters Of The Beijing Opera

The Beijing Opera (also known as the Peking Opera), is a classic form of Chinese theatre. The Beijing Opera began in the late 18th century, and reached the height of its popularity by the mid 19th century. The actors in the Beijing Opera do not simply act – they employ several other forms of expression in their plays. Actors will use song, speech, and various methods of dance and acrobatics during the course of each play. These sacred and specific performances also follow strict formats in regard to stage design, wardrobe and make-up. There are four main classifications of characters in the Beijing Opera, each with a corresponding make-up style to further identify the actor. There is the Sheng, Dan, Jing and Chou. Any of these types of characters may assume the lead role of the show. The Jing and Chou characters have the most vibrant and distinguishing face paint. Colors play an important role in the theatre as well. Red equals courage, yellow denotes ambition, blue is fierce, white is sinister, black is rough, purple is noble and sophisticated, and gold and silver are generally reserved for supernatural roles.

Sheng
Sheng is the main male role. There is an abundance of sub-types for this category, but actors are trained for three main groups. A Lao sheng (or “Senior”) would be a more mature male character who is middle-aged or older, and generally has a beard. The Xiao Sheng (“Junior”) role is a young man. Wu Sheng (“Acrobatic”) is the most physically active role, as he is a militaristic character specially trained in acrobatics. A Sheng’s face paint is kept on the light side in order to enhance the actor’s appearance and keep him looking soft in temperament. Some Shengs have red face paint for a more dramatic flair.

Dan
The female role of Dan has six main sub-types. Qing Yi is the modest one, Hua Dan is flirtatious, Gui Men Dan is the young married girl, Dao Ma Dan is a strong woman (often a military general), Wu Dan is an acrobat, and Lao Dan is a woman of mature age. In the early years of the Beijing Opera, the ban on women performers forced all female parts to be played by men. Known for their consciousness of societal status, the Chinese attribute a level of social standing for each type of Dan, with Qing Yi ranking high. In terms of appearance, the virtuous and beautiful Qing Yi wears simple, yet elegant clothing and make-up, whereas the more dramatic Hua Dan is featured in more vivid attire and face paint. The mature Lao Dan character wears no make-up at all, and her costumes are muted in color and nature.

Jing
The Jing, or painted face role, has a rich and striking countenance. Not regarded as the most intelligent of the character classifications, the Jing is considered to have more of a courageous, street-wise persona. As opposed to the lilting tone of a Sheng’s voice, the Jing is gruff and course. The Jing often assumes the role of a high-ranking military official. His face paint and costume color denotes the alignment of the character. Red is aligned with good, white for evil, black is brusque, and blue is wild. The three sub-types of the Jin denote their special talent. A Hei Tou is proficient in singing, a Jia Zi is best at acting, and the Wu Jing is best at fighting or acrobatics.

Chou
The Chou, or clown, can be a bit like the jester of the Beijing Opera, and is brought to the stage to bring comedic or light-hearted relief. The social standing of any particular Chou can be deduced by the elaborateness of his dress. The more elaborate the costume, the higher standing of the Chou. So-called “low-class” characters such as fisherman or messengers are generally depicted by a Chou. Chous can be good or evil. The Chou has two main sub-types, the civilian Wen Chou and the military Wu Chou. The Chou’s nose is generally painted white, in order to give him a more comedic appearance.

Though there are only four main types of characters in the Beijing Opera, there is a plethora of different sub-types. Both elaborate and simple costumes and face paint add an additional dimension to the character, along with each character’s special skills and abilities. It is no wonder why this sophisticated and entertaining form of theatre spread from China to across the globe.

By: Sylvia Smelcer

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Beijing opera masks and opera robes are of interest to Sylvia Smelcer, who is the owner of Hinky Imports and the author.