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.