Costume, generally referring to what an actor or actress wears on the stage, is technically termed in Peking Opera and local operettas xingtou or, more popularly, xiyi in Chinese. The Peking Opera costume can be traced back to the mid-14th century. It underwent changes gradually and continually, and has emerged as it is seen nowadays. In general, the Chinese Opera costume is characterized by the following features.
(1) Anachronisms are allowable. A performer's costume primarily designates his or her role on the stage no matter when or where the action takes place. Characters, whether they are ancients of the pre-Christian era Shang or Zhou, or their descendants in pre -modern China, appear on the Chinese opera stage wearing costumes suitable to their roles. However, in the course of theatrical development a few items of Manchu-style apparel, for instance, the archer's dress (jianyi) and the mandarin's jacket (magua), have been introduced into the ensemble of Peking Opera costume.
(2) Regardless of the four seasons, the opera costume is the same, although the elements are described in every scene and have to be made clear by the actor's movements. For example, the young scholar Zhang Junrui in "Romance of the Western Chamber" wears the same silk gown both on his February visit to Pujiu (Save-All) Monastery or when he takes leave of his beloved, Cui Yingying, at a farewell party in the fall.
(3) Peking Opera costume has to distinguish a character's sex and status at first glance. In terms of symbolism, Peking Opera costumes may well be regarded as having the main function of marking off people from all walks of life, be it noble or humble, civil or military, as well as in or out of office.
(4) By means of a subtle symbol, opera costumes may give expression to sharp distinctions between the good and the evil or, preferably, the loyal and the wicked. The wings (chizi) attached to a gauze hat indicate a loyal official if they are oblongish trapezoidal ones. In contrast, a corrupt official, is made to wear a gauze hat with rhomboidal wings.
(5) Accessories, though apparently of little or no account as compared with such principal items as crowns and robes, may nevertheless function to bring about more dramatic effect on the stage, for instance, the wings attached to a hat, the plumes (lingzi) pinned to a helmet, and the cascading sleeves (shuixiu) sewn to a garment even if they have never had any practical use.
(1) Anachronisms are allowable. A performer's costume primarily designates his or her role on the stage no matter when or where the action takes place. Characters, whether they are ancients of the pre-Christian era Shang or Zhou, or their descendants in pre -modern China, appear on the Chinese opera stage wearing costumes suitable to their roles. However, in the course of theatrical development a few items of Manchu-style apparel, for instance, the archer's dress (jianyi) and the mandarin's jacket (magua), have been introduced into the ensemble of Peking Opera costume.
(2) Regardless of the four seasons, the opera costume is the same, although the elements are described in every scene and have to be made clear by the actor's movements. For example, the young scholar Zhang Junrui in "Romance of the Western Chamber" wears the same silk gown both on his February visit to Pujiu (Save-All) Monastery or when he takes leave of his beloved, Cui Yingying, at a farewell party in the fall.
(3) Peking Opera costume has to distinguish a character's sex and status at first glance. In terms of symbolism, Peking Opera costumes may well be regarded as having the main function of marking off people from all walks of life, be it noble or humble, civil or military, as well as in or out of office.(4) By means of a subtle symbol, opera costumes may give expression to sharp distinctions between the good and the evil or, preferably, the loyal and the wicked. The wings (chizi) attached to a gauze hat indicate a loyal official if they are oblongish trapezoidal ones. In contrast, a corrupt official, is made to wear a gauze hat with rhomboidal wings.
(5) Accessories, though apparently of little or no account as compared with such principal items as crowns and robes, may nevertheless function to bring about more dramatic effect on the stage, for instance, the wings attached to a hat, the plumes (lingzi) pinned to a helmet, and the cascading sleeves (shuixiu) sewn to a garment even if they have never had any practical use.
