The actors in a Chinese opera are getting ready by painting their own faces with masks of different colors that represent different character traits. The masks can be red, black, yellow, purple, blue, white, or green, with each color symbolizing qualities like courage, fierceness, ambition, nobility, staunchness, treachery, and impulsiveness respectively. A video of an authentic Chinese opera performance is also available.
4. Chinese Opera
Mask, Guan Yu
Red Color
Red indicates
devotion,
courage
bravery,
uprightness
and loyalty.
5. Chinese Opera Mask,
Zhang Fei
Black symbolizes
roughness and
fierceness. The
black face
indicates either a
rough and bold
character or an
impartial and
selfless
personality.
6. Chinese Opera
Mask, Tu Xingsun
Yellow signifies
fierceness,
ambition and cool-
headedness.
7. Chinese Opera Mask,
Lian Po
Purple stands for
uprightness,
sophistication and
cool-headedness.
The reddish purple
face likewise
shows a just and
noble character.
9. Chinese Opera Mask,
Cao Cao
White suggests
sinisterness,
treacherousness,
suspiciousness and
craftiness.
Commonly seen on
the stage is the white
face for the powerful
villain. It highlights
all that is bad in
human nature:
cunning, craftiness,
and treachery.
10. Chinese Opera Mask,
Zheng Wun
A green face tells the
audience that the
character is impulsive
and violent and
depicts surly
stubbornness,
impetuosity and a total
lack of self-restraint.
