Masks in the Traditonal Chinese Theatre (Introduction).

Masks in the Traditional Chinese Theatre.

By Daniela Maimone ["Mondo Chino” Extract - N. 31 – September 1980].

In 1935, in Moscow, Brecht saw in a female role performing the best Pequin Opera* actor Mei Langfang*, this event caused a deep impression in him because of repetitive chinese theatre stylization and archaistic , it exerted, a non indifferent great influence over the spatiotemporal conceptions in Brech's epic theatre.

In Occident is almost not noticed the role that chinese theatre and in general, oriental one has represented and still representing. Over  modern theatre development still less noticed ancient Chinese theatre stylish and formal modules. The recent Younnan Pequin Opera's company tournée,  offered to italian spectator ocassion to verify one of the most ancient genres in traditional chinese theatre, wich doesn't have any type of parallels in theatrical representation with Occident .
The spectacle comprehended selected parts of classical repertory  and actors exhibited during two hours on stage dances, mime, prose, acrobacy, marcial arts and along with music, clothing and masks, constitute in Pekin Opera a particular artistical and theatrical unity. [Rome, 1980]

[Videotape: The White Serpent's legend representation by modern Peking Opera, here is a blog in wich you can read this story: http://www.chinapage.com/wsnake.html]

• Peking Opera: It's believed that became formal in 1790  when a teathral group offered to Qialong emperator a  representation during his birthday, during Qing dynasty it turned strongly popular.

•   Mei Langfang (1894-1961): Chinese singer and actor, one of the most important artists in Peking Opera modern history, known as a qinji performer (elite women), some kind of dan (those men who played female roles before 1950).  His pseudonym was Mei Langfang , his real name was Mei Lan: was met as one of The Four Biggest Dan with Shan Xiaoyun, Chen Yanqiu and Yun Huishen. Came from a Peking Opera and Kunqu artists family, always worked searching new acting tecniques founding the Mei School, he was firstone who shows Peking Opera abroad.   

Mei Langfang Work: A link about the gestures from his hands with symbolical importance:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tButbl-0100

Peking Opera

Premise: historical features.

Chinese Traditional Theatre is even more antique than this theatrical genre, really comprehends different local representation types. Chinese Theatre has its origine in chamanic dances and chants, in ritual ceremonies ancestor worshipping connected, that returns to antiques sovereign dynasties Shang* (1523-1029) and Zhou* (1028-221 bC) period.

• Shang Dinasty: Lived after Xia dynasty, was the second dynasty in ancient Chinese world, covers what now is Yellow river valley, because of  lack of written data it interpretation is not concret.

• Zhou Dinasty:  Was after Shang dynasty, in this period lived great ancient Chinese thinkers like Cong Tzé (Confucius), Meng Tzé (Taoism founder) and Chinese literates. Is divided in two periods: "Springs and Autums" where get out The Thousand Philosophical School and Warring States where came Ching Dynasty.

Chinese World

A mural founded in Helinger, in actual region self named Internal Mongolia, in a high functionary tomb from Han dynasty* (206 bC - 220 aC) offers an interesting document about the most ancient phases of popular Chinese theatre. This painting is spectator's representation who assists to a compound presentation, where simultaneously there are having place music, dance, acrobacy and marcial arts. We have theatral activities reliable evidences just in the courts of Tang period* (619-805 aC), when Xuan Zong emperator founded  a musical academy named: "The pear garden students"

• Han Dynasty: Was invented rice paper, strongly influenced by thinkers like Confucio and Lao Tzé, great prosperity state moment in comercial and cultural aspects, also lived Sima Qian, one of the most important Chinese historians. Territory covered North Corea, Mongolia and East China (in present), at the end of Han period came Zen Philosophy, wich get adapted and create a proper Phylosophy named Chan.

• Tang Dynasty:  Chinese painting and poetry get floured, with revelant exponents like Lai Pai, Tu Fu, Guang Gwe, etc, . Where influneced of Chan Philosophy.

Han Dynasty Fresco.

Popular theatre entered in the court during Mongolian domination* (Yuan 1260-1360) and just at that period get started, it delineated two different styles situated in all Chinese theatre base. Theatrical representation were in two types: military: wich comprises historical episodes, filial piety examples; heroes and civils stories referred to episodes of everyday life, also founding place satire and irony.

•  Yuan Dynasty: Founded by Mongolian warriors. Esoteric Boddhism turned official, Tibetan Lama got court patronage.

Yuan Dynasty helmet.

Yuan Dynasty map.

Gradually Chinese theatre differed between septentrional and meridional. North theatre

suffered Central Asia musical influence, overall by drums, Chinese castanets and Chinese lute or pipa, and carried military episodes inspiration that favored acrobatic dance development; South Theatre was characterized by sweet music, soft flute notes guided, accompanying an action often with a happy ending.

Links showing an approach thte Chines traditional music:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SC9KWANashs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KY4lESlySrU

Pipa or Chinese Lute, traditional instrument.

Close the middle of Ming dynasty* (1368-1644), in Suzhou city at Zhejian, a new theatrical type named Kunqu stated, because the complicated plot that could be in thirty or in fourthy acts. Kunqu was intended to cult and refined people, quickly diffused and numerous famous writers wrote specificly operas with remarcable artistical and literary value, treated in ancient scripts.

Kunqu theatre example, entitled Peony Pavilion, writed by Tian Xiatzu, released in 1598 at Tang prince pavilion.

• Ming Dynasty: Penultimate Chinese Dynasty, after Yuan dynasty defeat, described with great disciplined government and very high cultural recognition. During this period was builded the great canal, the lost Peking city and the great wall of China. Peking was the capital, there was a strong exchange with Occident world.

Contemporaneously in a local level figured popular operas great quantity, different in style and representative technique, and whose that actual theatral genres are derived. At North we found Peking Opera, in Hebei Bangzi Opera, at Shaoxing Zheijan Opera or Yueju Opera, in Canton the Zhaozhou Opera, etc. Chant, music, dance, mime, masks and vestment presents the common fundamental caracteristics in all the traditional Chinese theatre.

Hebei Bang-zi Opera.

Yeuju - Shaoxin Opera.

Cantonese Opera

The followed music by orchesta in the stage box angle occupying an important position, doesn't have autonomy life and serves just for comment the stage action and follow the vocals, where voice is used like a musical instrument wich sometimes play acuted and stridents sounds.

1.- "Zhongguo guda huihua baitu" (Ancient Chinese paints thausand tables), from Taijin Art Institute, Peking 1978, fig. 10.

NOTES

• Earlier, the Chinese women couldnt perform, until  Popular Chinese Republic arrival in 1949, that's why were so important the dan role. Within Peking Opera exist different specialized artists or disciplines according to the kind of  represented character. This rank is divided n four categories:        

• 1.- Sheng: Male  principal character. Within this category there are subcategories like:

•  Laosheng - old man
• Xiaosheng - young man
• Wusheng - martial character

• 2.- Dan: Female character. Category divided in:

• Laodan - old woman
• Wudan - marcial female character
• Daomadan - young female warriors.
• Qinji - elite women
• Huadan - young and cheerful women
• Huashan - combination between huadan and qinji.

• 3.- Jing - Character with painted face. For those characters exist a codification in colors that compose their make up, with different symbols. Red means loyalty, black means integrity and white evil. Also is used golden mainly for gods. Exist sixteen patterns of make up that could be combined in a great styles variety, There are three kinds of jing character.

• Jiazi - great virtuous character
• Wujing - acrobacy and marcial arts expert character

• 4.- Chou - comic character and antagonistic sometimes. In somethings is a kind of  jester. This category is divided in:

• Wuchou - mix of humour, marcial arts and acrobacy
• Wenchou - it humorous element is in texts mainly
• Laochoy - old comic.

The music in Peking Opera is distributed between the instrumental ensemble and the characters voices. The used instruments un the basic ensembre are:

• Jinghu - two chord with arc instrument . Plays a very important role, being principal melodies responsable and melodical dialogues with characters.
• Ruan - lute with a completely orbed resonance box and short neck
• Dalou and Xialou - big gong and little gong.