Behind the Changing Masks

Face changing, better known as Bian Lian, is considered one of the most mysterious of China's traditional performing arts. Originally a trick of the Sichuan Opera, only a few Chinese opera masters have been able to grasp the skill.

Zeng Jingui, 70, is one of the few. As he switches his masks in such quick succession, it seems like magic.

Zeng retired in 1990 and since then he has developed a new hobby - making his own masks. So far, he has created more than 1,000 delicate masks in the style of Peking and Xiangju operas, and he displays them in every corner of his home. He spends most of his time rummaging through various markets seeking suitable materials to make new masks. His crafty hands have turned buttons into eyes and nylon ropes into beards.

Stepping into Zeng's home, you will find many different glamorous and colorful masks covering the walls of the living room, most of them homemade. The bulk of these were inspired by the famous characters from The Romance of Three Kingdoms.

A renowned artist and one-time manager of Changsha Xiangju Opera House in Central China's Hunan province, Zeng has devoted himself to mask making and exploring the secrets of mask changing.