Masks in Chines Theatre (Third Part)

MASKS IN CHINESE THEATRE

(by Daniela Maimone [N-32 Mondo Cino extract, september 1980])

5.- Typological clasification of theatrical masks.

Through the makeup formal and chromatic elements of consolidation ,  gradually a characters typology was constituted. Actually is talked about a typological clasification of sixteen masks, divided by drawing and principal or secondary use of colors. 

• Zhenglian: In this kind of makeup applies from the beggining one of the most principal colors;  after painted eyebrow, eyes, nose and mouth have to underline muscles and veins for delineate character expression.  Guan Yu pertains to red painted face; eyes and eyebrow are painted in black ; and the washed white painted face pertains to Cao Cao.

• Sankuaiwalian or three laws makeup: one of the most  intensive principal colors is expanded over the front and cheeks, in mode that seems like a three tile form, then black and grey are colored surrounding mouth and eyes spaces, with another color are treated hollows and eyebrow. Original zhenglian was decomposed in three parts, increasing the symbolical sense of character expressive capacity. In Fire Cage Mountain opera Qu Wei wears a sankuaiwalian red mask; in Lost Street Pavilion opera, Ma Su wears a three tile white mask; whilst that one which Zhan Zhung wears in Yu Zhang Sword opera is violet.

• Huasankuaiwalian or three laws make up: Has it base in the precedent one, but in a subtle variety of veins, there are attached other colors, proving another character aspects of personage. For example in Lian huan tao opera Dou Erdun has three laws mask painted in black, white, red and yellow, underlining lineaments, veins and muscles; in Zhan wan cheng opera, Dian Wei wears a yellow color three tile multicolor kind of mask. 

• Liufenlian or six parts makeup also named two lungs becomes from an obtained draw. Is another zhenglian development; there is just one color on nose and cheeks that continues to expanding over the front and empty spaces are filled with another color. This kind of make up characterizes old characters. Principal color occupies six face tenths, fact where this makeup name comes. Yang Ling character, from Che Lun Zhan opera uses colors like rose and white, Xi Tingzhao uses violet in Er jin gong opera, Huang Gai uses red in Qun yin hui opera.

• Zhizimenlian or ten character make up: Deriving from three tile makeup: one of the principal colors is expanded over the face, then a long line is traced, surrounding eyes backing to the temple, or with same color is traced a line starting from the nose tip expanding it to front; finally veins and muscles are underlined. Taking this name from two crossing lines that form Chinese character ten (shi) Zhan Fei in Lu ha dang opera and Si Mashi in Ding zhong opera uses black and red respectively for tracing lines in a white background.

• Hualin or colorful makeup: Derives from three multicolor tile make up; expanding color over the front and cheeks, then are traced complicated drawings variously colored for a better underlining character complexity. Example: in Chen Yaojin character make up from Jia Family Pavilon opera, over green background, white, yellow, red and black scrawls are traced.

• Yuanbolian or yuanbao makeup: Derives from three tile make up; over the front is left a natural skin color or a tenuous rose, while over the cheeks are drawn a white color yanbao. It indicates a brave and humble but timid and cautious character origin like Li Ren in Fanh yang juan opera.

• Huanyuanbaolian or yuanbao colorful make up: Development of precedent one, which assigns a great veins quantity and for that reason also is named "fragment makeup". Front is red, blue, white and golden, and a lot of complementary colors are used. Pincipal color is founded just in cheeks and black is there in general; eyes, nose, eyebrow and veins are white painted. Zhou Cang in Dan dao hui oper is a typical example.

• Walian or oblicuous makeup: Deriving from three tile and colorful makeup. Face is traced in an oblicuous manner,  it indicates an unloyal and dishonest character like in the wai Chines character. For example Li Qi makeup at Shen qi zhang ting opera consists in trace asymmetrical an irregular drawings with blood spot scattered on one side of front, nose and temples over a white background.

• Xiangxinglian or pictogram makeup: Extremely compound  nd vivacious, derives from three tile and colorful makeup, drawings are similar to old birds pictograms. Replace an own and authentic mask in spirits and demons representation. Appertain to this kind of make up, for example the monkey Su Wukong in Ba jiao shan opera, Ko Qiao and Jin Chiniao in Bai cao shan opera. 

• Shenxialin or inmortal makeup: As the precedent, derives from three tile and colorful makeup; Represents a buddhist or taoist divinity and makes use of silver and golden colors. Also this makeup is an ancient mask substitute. For example Rulai fo in Shou da peng opera. 

• Shengdaolin or taoist or buddhist mokn makeup: Three tile  akeup similar, traced lines defered around eyes, eyebro, nose and mouth; an example is Wang Feitian in Wu gong ling opera.

• Roulian or rubbed makeup: Rubbing on face for having a gloss colour; doesnt express a character in particular. An example is Hei Fengli in Tiao hua che opera.

• Taijianlian or eunuch makeup: Appertain to henglian type; is  iffers just in eyebrow, eyes an mouth. A taijianlian example is Yi Li character from Huan jin tai opera, white face painted in oil that express a worthy respect character.

• Yingxionglian or hero makeup: Is used in a character representation of a heroical mood, military generally. Has origin from old acrobat or marcial artes spectacles; makeup is quite simple compared to others. The four brothers at Zhen tian long opera appertain to this kind of makeup.

• Xiaoyaoilian or little demon makeup: Occupies a similar  osition to the precedent and generally a mythological character characterizes it from acrobatic theatre. Typologically akin to pictograms makeup but simplified; the major difference consist in the use of principal colour.

The precedent clasification is not a theatrical makeup rigid formal codification, but a millennial evolution sintesis from Chinese theatre masks, that in future still susceptible to many changes. Also, have to be present that character makeup, for belongs to a determinated group, almost always present own characteristics because actor artistical sensibility. Chinese theatrical masks future is inextricably vinculated to traditional theatre development. Nowadays are founded in a mechanically repeating by past stylish models condition, but could introduce appropiate innovations to changing historical requirements from Chinese society.

Masks in Chinese Theatre (Second Part)

Masks in Chinese Theatre.

(By Daniela Maimone [N - 32 de Mondo Cino extract, september 1980.])

3.- Roles and makeup.

Chinese traditional theatre characters masks wear, are painted according typology and a fixed aspect denominated liampu (official canons). Examining principal roles and characters, paintings and colors can be distinguished;  if actor is a sheng or male character, a dan or femenine character, a chou or clown, a jing or painted face character. In Peking Opera whether militar, civil or literary type belongs to sheng role. 

• Sheng and dan represent, basics considered, a stylish and typological unity. Accentuanting natural line, make up consists in paint eyebrow, eyes and mouth. Skin color intensifies; also bones, muscles and veins are important to underline.

• Sheng
  Wusheng is divided in wilaosheng (old warrior); changkao (senior  officer completely provided by an armor, four fixed flags over shoulder); duanda (town warrior, bandit, bully, who wears a black costume and usually doesnt sing).  Wensheng is for literate man or a civil role; is divided in wenlaosheng (old state or literated man); laosheng (middle aged or not elevated  level); xusheng or "red beard sheng" (official or literated man; with different beard shape and length whether red, black or grey, fixed behind ears, and sometimes long sideburns accompanied. A young literated is indicated by shanzisheng; young student by wenxiaosheng; young military hero by wuxiaosheng; divinized hero role Guan Yu represented by red sheng or hongsheng.

Wusheng

                                         

                                                 

                                                             

               
                                       

Wensheng

                                            
                                                        
                                           

Wenxiaosheng 

Shanzisheng                                                            Wuxiaosheng

• Dan
  Femenine role or dan is divided in: loadan (old woman); qinguyidan (virtous and refined woman); guimedan (not married, beautiful and young woman); huadan or flowered dan (singer or courtesan); wudan (young and warrior woman, carries a horse); gongnudan or "palace dan" (maid).

Laodan

Guimedan

Qingyidan (Mei Lanfang)

Huadan

• Chou (Chow)
  Until Yuan dynasty, chou makeup consisted from light white extract simply surrounding eyes and nose, other more elaborated colors and drawings started to be used at Ming period.

                                                 

                                                   

• Jing
  Jing role indicates a vigorous and violent man, virtous or villain character; comprises zhengjin or principal jing role, noble virtue and important character; jujing or jing assistant, generally a rogue or villain; wujing or military jing, emphasizes spectacular combats and acrobats. Also comprises other Peking Opera roles, in common with Kunqu Opera, like mo, waim, qionsheng, tiedan, etc.

                                          

              

• Zhenglian: Zhenglian is the most ancient mask form still in use in Chinese theatre: they apply over the face an unitary cap color, coordinating white and black, used before in drawn eyebrow, eyes, nose and mouth. Zhenglian used colors are just black, red and white. To this kind belongs jing makeup or "face painted character", founded also in Kunqu Opera.  

4.- Theatral makeup evolution.

Original zhenglian was gradually transformed in more complex theatrical masks, caused mutating historical and social requirements, above all novels and literary works influenced.

Numerous characters, literary operas extracted and not necessary with great heroical relevance, were scenes adapted, face features exaggerating and specialy making a new kind of makeup. For example a "red face" man, "whitest face", "metalical face" "bloodless face", etc. Were included also a big new colors quantity for define and characterize characters first time appeared over theatrical scenes. Numerous heterogeneous fusion and confluence elements have therefore given rise to indigo blue, green, yellow, leopard head and ring eyes, fenix eyes and silkworm makeup. A constant rapport established between chromatic elements typical character characteristics, stylish models converted on which new characters remarked. Here some examples: red is typically for Guan Yu mask, so, red is identified with heroism and rightness from this historical character. Zhang Fei wears a black mask, so, a paradigmatical value of crudity and some kind of disregard assumes black. With typical white in water is Cao Cao, indicates an insidious character. 

Ma Su white oil express solemnity and respect. Xi Tzingzhao violet mask denotes a heroical and loyal character; ferocity, brutality and heroism is Dian Wei yellow; violence is Lang Rubao grey blue, strenght and courage is Dou Erdum blue , a wild and fierce character is Qing Erhu green. Delineating range, age, character, mood and moral qualities of character are those colors function.  Could be combined another complementary, secondary, realistical or "wordly" colors. A character expression is also outlining face bones through light colors use. Five or six colors masks are noted sometimes, with lines and complex drawings that becomes a difficult character typological identification. For example jing mask Peking Opera uses colors and very complex drawing combinations.

              

Masks in the Chinese Theatre (First Part)

By Daniela Maimone [Mondo Cino Extract - N 31 - september 1980]

Essay

Prose passages recitation assumes generally an emphatic and declamatory intonation, noting a change in tone at words and sometimes turns difficult to understand. Often, dance is resolved in spectacular acrobatic exhibitions, for example in Peking Opera, sometimes exists an emphasis in the actor mime.

Before occidental scenography type was introduced in China at XX century, over the box stage, curtain unprovided there was a simple tent where actors get in and out. Chair or painted screen presence more than reconstruct an scene, was served for suggest symbolically the idea place where was unfolded action and displacement; and staging of such objects, took place always under spectators eyes. Extreme scenographic simplicity was countered by the demonstration of colorful costumes and complex gestures symbology, colors, masks, that ask the spectator to individualize the characters  and reconstruct scenes and ancestors.

Peking Opera recitation extract.

Dance extract

1.- Chinese Theatre symbolism.

Traditional Chinese Theatre is an extremely stylized representation, where symbolical elements presence, masks use and lack of aristotelical unities*, characterizes it like a no representative theatre, in the sense that has to demonstrate a diferent reality of life, of that now and who that organice space, time and action in a similar way of medieval theatre*. Cromatic and gestual symbolism united to the characters fixed typology, constitute one of essential elements for theatrical representation, understanding and creating an oriental recitation antecedents type, wich doesn't reproduce just pure reality mimesis.

NOTE:

• Aristotelian Unity: Referred to diverse structural forms in wich is composed Occidental
  
  art, has to do with ordered positions under Greek art reflection, wrote in IV bC, by Aristotle philosopher on his piece Poetics, different points are converted in representative unities of parts that caracterizes poetical work (knowed now as dance, theatre, poetry, music, visual) like time unity, action unity, object unity, imitation unity, place unity, etc. Also could be referred to classical forms as having an introduction, a development and a conclution, and the different logical and specific points that  feed each one of those parts, and in Occident, this forms are socially unconscious, assimilated toward what is all kind of expression referent on the structure; also applies to mimesis in arts postulation based in reality.

• Medieval Theatre: At the begining were eucharistic plays or biblical stories representations, made in country festivities, mostly by comedies, and played in churches and parks. Through time moved to carts for make an itinerant theatre. In this period theatre was lost as a dramatical representation idea how was in ancient Greece and Rome. At aproximately the VI century society started to release the liturgical stories for interpret cotidianity events, also were part of this changes the minstrels and trobadours.

Gestuality has fairly accurate scenic functions and serves for reconstruct an ambient, a situation: suicide by drowning could be represented when the character approaches a flag and envolves

completely to another actor; aiming a lance up looking down with slightly inclined body, indicates if is at top mountain or making a valley inspection; trembling hands like leaves express sadness or fear; a lance or a whip left handed hanging indicates that character is coming down with a horse.

Actors move by a codified gesture language, generally Chinese audience knows it, finding familiar element infront of them that allows the easy understanding of action development.

Here we can see the character gestures in their expressions.

In traditional theatre from Peking Opera to Kunqu, Yeuju, Bangzi, painted masks directly over the face put relation between the actor and the interpreted character linked to dances made in festivities and some agricultural and renewal rites. The actor with a  paintbrush applies over the face water or oil disolved colors. In complex Chinese symbology, colors occupy an important place. Universal values like Ying and Yang are associated with yellow and red, as well as each element of cardinal points corresponds to one color. It couldn't, therefore lack a deep link between colors and makeup.

• Video in wich you can see Chinese modern actress self painting:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-6XXM_Becw

Makeup symbolism is in some paintings particularly evident, from an almost pictographic idealism that forge news about character life and destiny. Some of those characters possessed a particular and exclusive symbol, for example in the middle front of infernal judge Pao Zen, commissioned to make some inquires is a little moon painted; over the Li Yuamba front, throne God, is painted a little lightning also remembering his divine origine over the earth; the painting of a gold coin in the front of Zhao Gnongming indicates that before the death he will be turn the wealth God; between Zhao Guanying eyebrows there is painted a little dragon with a red mole for demonstrate that also in the aspect provides the imperial dragon trace, etc. The masks complicated drawings indicate the remarked artistic level reached in actors and artists from Chinese theatre, wich, like in painting, uses  paintbrush controlling the force of brushstrokes acording to a fairy accurate technique. Origin and symbology of those painted masks over the face are lost in the night of times and need to go back to ancient beliefs and religious practices that can trail in histolical or literary works.
2.- Masks origin.
In Later Han book* (Hou Han shu) and Tang book* (Tang shu) are described the called Danuo ceremony, made by teenagers in imperial palace and its objective was take out bad spirits, for new year welcome. Danuo esential moment was Twelve animals dance. Made by Fangxiangshe, yellow metal four eyes mask and head covered by bear skin; the top part of dress was black, inferior part red, at hands had a lance and a shield, also was accompained by twelve young guys animals masked.  The young guys intoned an imprecation to disease that has upset the old year, came into the throne hall, where officers carried red caps; so, made dance, they shouted the turn of the hall and at the end they get out carrying torchs to accompany the bad spirits to the South door. Gentlemen groups passed the torch until throwed it in the Luo river*. In a popular level, the party was street celebrated, people with deafening rhythm drums were converged; wore mask and were dressed with some kind of freedom; during festivities were allowed customs relaxation. 
Notes:

• Han Posterior book: Oficial historical text covering Hang dynasty period in China, compiled by Ye Fan. 

• Tang book: Tang Dynasty first classical work.

• Chinese new year data from Han dynasty.

• Luo River: One of the most important Yellow river affluent; locate almost in the middle of the river. Made inffluence in Chinese poets like Cao Zhi 192 - 232 aC. (one of  Han dynasty most important poets) who made a poem titled Luo river Nymph, which talks about the separation between him and the Luo river Nymph, later painted by Gu Kaizhi 334-406aC.

Luo river Nymph extract by Gu Kaishi.



Fangxiangshe ritual dance ascend in  previous Han dynasty period, indeed in Springs-Autumns period (722-482 bC.) we have a Fangxiangshe testimony accompained by four pawns named kangfu. Xunzi* ironicly says that Confucio's head resembled Fangxiangshe mask. For autumnal festivity called Bazha, made after harvest and before the coming of death season, in camp a ritual dance in ancient honor connected to fertility worship. Was believe that masks who represented ancestors, which were taken by deceased descendant, were fixed for his wandering soul.
Danuo ceremony decayed in Tang period and fell totally in disuse at court, but is accepted that during Shui and Tang dynasty at popular spectacles, masks were used for pose as demonds or another fantastical beings. In some contemporany traditions, we can look yet this ancient masks footprints that present interesting connections, whether this old customs, whether theatral make up.
Before Popular Chinese Republic fundation, in Taoist and Buddhist temples and monasteries, religious and popular holydays there, were yet representations and dances with masks, having as subject life and actions of legendary characters, or also infernal judges inflicted punishments; they had as objective to warn and to instruct spectators. Masks where made with mache paper and subjects were represented often with terrible aspects demons: horse, tiger, dragon, etc. 
Masks with friendly aspect were manufactured and painted by specialized artisans for entertain kids, also being used by clowns. Nowadays, those masks, can be purchased in Chinese camps on Spring Holydays. Is not uncommon to see in Guilin or Chengdy stores those bizarre kid heads, tigers or bearded characters similar to the zhenglian theatral makeup decoration. The first documented example of masks, chant, dance combinations ascends to Qi Septentrional (550-577 aC) period. Is narrated that Lan Ling prince was a great value warrior, but his face was so beautiful that in this time conceptions considered him unfit for war; for this reason he decided to wear a terrorific mask, in this way he frightened the enemies; he could overcome and leak the Zhou Septetrional army from the state. For celebrate this heroic fact, people invented appropiated dances accompained by chant, whether popular or professional, in Chinese theatre, actors replace masks with makeup: from orginal Ming epic lines drawn around eyes and eyebrow stays in complete makeup face. Antique value remains just in one strongly symbolical signification and overemphasis of guidelines and some characters characteristics. In this kind of theatrical masks painted directly over the face is noted the cross of maglical level, where Fangxiangshe plays like exorcist for hun, the disastrous accumulated influences during a year, a historical level or also a mitic one, and depending the played character; and in part the ancient religious meaning is lost. An analogue phenomenon is founded in the ancient Greek theatre, where they applied masks over the face making a symbolical function under some similar aspects to makeup from Chinese theatre.