Southwest Chinese Journal (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 8, No. 9, Ed. 1 Thursday, September 1, 1983 Page: 10 of 20
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Page 10
sSj ^ 4ll South.wesl Chinese Journal
SEPTEMBER 1983
A GUIDE TO PEKING OPERA
M
Xiao sbzng
Quit y>
THE TYPES OF ROLES
In Peking Opera there are four main types of roles:
sheng (the male roles), dan (the female roles), jing
(painted faces) and chou (clowns).
The Sheng (The Male Roles)
The male roles in Peking Opera with the exception
of painted-face characters are collectively known as
sheng. Aged and bearded male characters are designated
as "old" or lao sheng, while youthful male characters
are known as "youthful" or xiao sheng.
The Dan (The Female Roles)
The general term in Peking Opera for all female roles
is dan. Formerly, the term dan meant female impersona-
tor, Vecause in the old, feudal China men and women were
forbidden to play on the same stage under the necessity
to maintain a strict separation of one sex from the other
and so young men were trained to play the female roles.
After the fall of the Qing dynasty (1644-1911), however,
the old order of things began to change. Nowadays, fe-
male roles are generally played by actresses.
The term dan is sub-dividec1 into five types: qing
yi, bua dan, cai dan, lao dan and wu dan. The following
are their main distinctions:
The qing yi is the type representing the good matron,
faithful wife, or filial daughter. In this type sing-
ing is greatly stressed and no fighting and acrobatics
are required.
The bua dan or "flower" dan, is the role for a viva-
cious maiden or a woman of questionable character, great
emphasis being placed on the acting.
The cai dan, in point of liveliness, is akin to the
bua dan. But she is comical lowly, and detestable.
The wu dan or military type is strong, beautiful, and
vibrant with action, for t.he must enter the fray of
battle and give exhibitions of acrobatics of the most
difficult character. Sharp and bright are her eyes.
The type for an old woman or lao dan is the most real-
istic. With lowered head and stooped shoulders she tot-
ters across the stage. Sometimes she walks with a long
staff for support. She is gentle and motherly.
The Jing (Painted Faces)
The actors of j ing roles are required to paint their
faces to a high degree, for which reason they are often
called bua lian (painted face). They must be coarse
and heavily built and possess voices that are rich and
robust, while their movements must be dignified. The
j ing roles too are divided into "civilian" or wen jing
and "military" or wu jing. A wu j ing must be a master
of boxing gymnastics and conventional military movements.
Actors playing j ing commonly paint their faces in
various styles that range from a single coulour to be-
wildering combinations and figures. Many of the coulours
have a specific meaning. For instance a predominance of
red indicates that the person is courageous, faithful and
virtuous; much black indicates a fierce and coarse na-
ture; blue denotes cruelty while white symbolizes trea-
chery .
THE CHOU (CLOWNS)
The general term for clowns is chou. Women clowns are
called chou dan, while the men clowns are divided into
wen chou (civilian clowns) and wu chou (warrior clowns).
The whole group paint their noses powder-white, with a
few black lines to show that they are clowns. Although
other lines may, at times, be added to the face, the most
common design is the butterfly.
SINGING and DECLAMATION
When a Peking Opera actor, especially an actor play-
ing the role of sheng, comes upon the stage he sometimes
delivers what is termed the prologue, and perhaps poetry
also, as well as the lines of a couplet. These distinc-
tive practices on entering and exiting are characteristics
which set classical Chinese drama apart from that of any
other nation.
The Prologue (Yin zi)
When an actor makes his entrance, the first words he
utters are what is technically known as the "prologue",
which literally "introduces" the play.
Poetry While Seated (Zuo chang shi)
After the prologue has been delivered, the actor,
seating himself, usually recites four lines of poetry,
technically termed "poetry that opens the play".
Announcing One's Name (Tong ming)
After an actor has recited his four lines of poetry,
he never fails to tell the audience the name of the char-
acter he plays, or if he does not recite poetry, he usual-
ly announces his name immediately after the delivery of
the prologue.
Lines That Actually Open the Play (Ding chang bai)
The technical term bai means "to speak". An actor,
having gone on stage and recited his prologue and poetic
lines and having announced his name, proceeds to deliver
what is termed the ding chang bai, in which he gives a
detailed account of the character he plays, his family,
or the story of the opera, often of the immediate act
or episode at hand.
After an actor has delivered his ding chang bai, the
actual play begins to unfold.
Couplets Recited Before Going Off the Stage
(Xia chang dui lian)
After an actor has played his part and is about to
move off the stage, it is customary for him to recite
four lines, namely two couplets, or if two or more people
exit together, they may recite four lines of poetry.
These recitations are supposed to conclude the act or
scene in question.
PANTOMIME and ACTING
Every movement made by an actor in a Peking Opera is
made in accordance with time-honoured convention, and so
is somewhat different from the action of everyday life.
An attempt will now be made to explain some of these
stage conventions.
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Southwest Chinese Journal (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 8, No. 9, Ed. 1 Thursday, September 1, 1983, newspaper, September 1, 1983; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth273789/m1/10/: accessed April 24, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Rice University Woodson Research Center.