Costume of Sichuan Opera – Get to Know Characters from What They Wear

“Do not look down on the costumes of Sichuan Opera. The technology of making them includes multiple skills of Sichuan brocade and Sichuan embroidery,” Gu said. “To make one suit for the costume, dozens of separate processes have to be performed on it, and it will take more than three months to finish.”

“Face changing and acrobatic actions are eye catching, but do you know that some of the credit shall go to the costumes?” Gu said. Some acrobatic plays, for example face changing and playing water sleeves, need both an exquisite performance and a specialized costume. If using the wrong cloth material or one that is not finely crafted, the stage effects will be greatly discounted.

The face changing, or “bian lian” in Chinese, is an important intangible cultural heritage in China. Only a few masters have grasped the skill. They know how to change Sichuan Opera masks in magically quick succession. As they flourish their arms and twist their heads, their painted masks change again and again and again.

Opera masters use the full-face, painted silk mask. They can be worn in layers, as much as two-dozen thick, and can be pulled off one by one. The masters can peel off one after another in the blink of an eye.

The art is considered one of China’s national treasures, and in the past the techniques were closely guarded secrets that were only passed on within families. We only know that they use a sort of trigger within their costumes to control the masks.

“The triggers for the masks can be hidden anywhere on the costume - anywhere is possible,” said He Hongqing, a face changer.

Editor: Liu Fang