Sichuan Opera's Unique Stunt: Face-Changing

Face-changing, when employed in Sichuan Opera for characterization, requires extraordinary skill. It is a Romantic way of externally revealing or reflecting the inner feelings and thoughts of a character in a play.

Legend has it that ancient people painted their faces in a variety of ways to drive fierce and predatory animals back into the wild. The Sichuan Opera transported this ancient practice onto the stage by using unique techniques, which transformed it into a very special art form.

There are three types of face-changing techniques in Sichuan opera: "Wiping Mask," "Blowing Mask," and "Pulling Mask." A fourth type of face-changing technique, which does not involve masks, requires qi-gong movements (or "energy cultivation") for changing the color of the face in order to depict different emotions.

In the "Wiping Mask" routine, the actor applies cosmetic paint in a specific part of his or her face. During the performance, the actor wipes on new paint to change his or her face color. If the whole face is to be changed, the paint is applied to the forehead or the eyebrows. If only the lower part of the face is to be changed, the paint is applied to the cheeks or the nose. For changes in a specified part of the face, the paint is applied only to that part of the face. The "Wiping Mask" technique is used by such characters as Xu Xian in The Legend of the White Snake, Pei Wui in Fang-Pei, Chang Luong, the Old Ghost in Flying-Cloud Sword, etc.

The "Blowing Mask" technique works only with powder cosmetics, such as gold, ink, and silver powder. Sometimes a tiny powder box is placed on stage before the show starts. The actor has to draw his or her face near the box by a camouflaging dance movement, blowing the power to puff it up and stick to the face for a swift color change. The technique requires that the actor hold his or her breath and then close his or her eyes before blowing the powder. The "Blowing Mask" technique is used by such characters as Tzi-Du in Capturing Tzi-Du, Loe Yang Tzi in Seeking A Remedy for Chong-Shan, etc.

The "Pulling Mask" technique is the most complicated of all face-changing techniques. It requires that several masks be painted on well-tailored and well-cut pieces of damask. They are then pasted onto the face and hung, one by one, by thin silk threads which, in turn, are carefully fastened to an inconspicuous part of the costume, such as the belt. The actor has to use dance movements to help cover up the act of whisking away the masks, as required by the plot in the course of the play. In The Legend of the White Snake, the little monk from the Gold Mountain Temple magically went through seven face changes, turning his visage into green, red, white, black, etc. The "Pulling Mask" technique is used by such characters as the thief in Giu-Cheng Tower, Nieh Long in Wan-Nian Beach, etc. The "Pulling Mask" technique requires that the actor exercise several precautions: 1) Don't use too much glue when pasting the masks onto the face. Too much glue will impede pulling the masks down one by one, or worse, it might cause the actor to pull the masks down all at once. 2) Use fleeting dance movements to disguise the act of flicking away the mask.

A fourth type of face-changing requires qi-gong movements (or "energy cultivation"). It was rumored that the deceased famed actor Pong Hsi-Hong, while playing General Zhuge Liang in the play Ruse of the Empty City, was able to use qi-gong movements to change the color of his face from red to white, and then to green to show his emotions. He demonstrated this amazing feat during his performance of the play when he was informed that the enemy had finally retreated.

All in all, face-changing is a unique art form that requires highly specialized techniques. It has been borrowed by other regional Chinese operas, due to the wide influence of the Sichuan Opera within China. The technique is also well-known abroad.

Color Symbolism in the Chinese Opera

face color	personalities, temperaments, dispositions, & moral qualities
RED	brave, loyal, upright, and has a strong sense of justice
BLACK	honest, direct, but rough and blunt
WHITE	cunning, deceitful, and treacherous
OILY WHITE	spirited and possesses an energetic charm
PURPLE	just, strong, and poised
YELLOW	brave but rash and brutal
BLUE	strong and fearless
GREEN	stubborn, short-tempered, and violent
PINK	brave and old-aged
GRAYISH BLUE	brutal, reckless, and old-aged

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References and related links:
Wikipedia: Beijing Opera
Sichuan Opera
A NY Times feature story on a face-changing master, Peng Denghuai