Costumes+in+Beijing+Opera+by+Alicia+Corts

Costumes in Beijing Opera by Alicia Corts



The importance of costume in the Beijing Opera cannot be understated. The bareness of the stage and the simplicity of props and setting mean that the costumes are responsible for creating the spectacle onstage. The costumes, known as //xingtou// and often shortened to //xiyi//, have their origins in the fourteenth century, though years of different rulers and styles make the costumes a hodge podge of historical eras (China Fun Website). In addition, the costumes work to establish character quickly, allowing the performance of the actors to remain the focal point for the Beijing Opera connoisseur.

Types of Roles
The types of roles in the Beijing Opera determine the style of costume a character will wear. The four major character types—//sheng// (heroic men of good character), //dan// (female roles), //jing// (men with extraordinary wisdom or physical strength), and //chou// (comic roles)—have strict rules about the style, colors, and decoration for their costume (Bonds 2008). The importance of the strict costume code relates to the audience's experience with the play; when a character walks onstage, the audience should be able to distinguish the character, the situation the character finds himself in, as well as social indicators such as age, social position, and ethnicity ( Brušák 1976). The character types also have subdivisions which have distinct costumes to differentiate them within the play.

Sheng
The //sheng// character type is the heroic lover and warrior of the plays in the Beijing Opera. Within this character type, there are three subdivisions: //laosheng// (mature men), //xiaosheng// (young men), and //wusheng// (martial men) (Bonds 2008). The laosheng has even further subdivisions between the standard laosheng (older, dignified men, usually civil officials) and the wulaosheng (older military generals of good character. The xiaosheng is also divided between military and non-military roles: wenxiaosheng (young men under 30 - princes, lovers, scholars), and wuxiaosheng (young men under 30 in the army).

For the laosheng, either //pi//, or formal robes, or Mang court robes are the standard attire (Bonds 2008). Water sleeves (//shuixiu//) appear in many costumes, and are used for //laosheng.// They consist of white silk cuff extensions which are generally folded back above the sleeve of the robe. The use of these sleeves in performance in terms of movement is highly symbolic, and touching water sleeves can often be a sign of love, hate, or other strong emotions ( Brušák 1976). The laosheng also wear high soled boots (//houdi xue//) (Bonds 2008). The boots are an important indicator of character. The higher the boot, the more esteemed the character (Bonds 2008). //Laosheng// also wear a long, thin, three-part beard called a //sanliu ran//. The main difference between the //laosheng// and the //wulaosheng// is the style of the main garment. While the //laosheng// wears a robe, the military //wulaoshen////g// wear wear armor (//kao//) instead of robes and helmets (//kui//) instead of fabric headdresses.

The //xioasheng// subcategory represents young men under thirty years of age who are making their way in the courts and in the military (Bonds 2008). The //wenxioasheng// are the young lovers in the plays of the Beijing Opera. Their costume usually consists of //xuezi// (informal robes) in pastel colors, which signify their youth and virility. The robes include flower embroidery, water sleeves, and high-soled boots, the same as //laosheng//. The main difference between the //wenxioasheng// and the //laosheng// is the color and decoration of the robes; the colors and difference in embroidery signify the youth of the //wenxioasheng// as well as the age and dignity of the //laosheng.// The //wuxiaosheng//, like the //wuloasheng//, differs from the //wenxioasheng// in the wearing of military armor, //koa// and //kui//. These younger warriors often have lingzi, or long feathers, attached to their helmets to symbolize their prowess in battle.

The //wusheng// category of characters are fighting men (Bonds 2008). Within this category, the style of fighting is quickly distinguished by the costume within the //wusheng// subcategories. The //changkao wusheng// (which literally means "long armor maritial men") are high ranking younger men who are noticeable for their //koa// and //kui,// which are often adorned with //chizi// (wings or banners) that give indication of their character (China Fun Website). The //chizi// indicate a good character if they are oblong and trapezoidal. If the chizi have a rhomboidal shape, the character is evil. The other subcategory of the //wusheng// is the //duanda wusheng//, the quick-fighting martial artist (Bonds 2008). These characters are not dressed in //koa// and //kui//, but rather where a suit of clothes called //kuaiyi,// literally "fast clothes," or //baoyi// "embracing clothes." Both of these styles include loose fitting pants and jacket with flat shoes which allow the //duanda wusheng// to perform acrobatic fighting moves onstage.







Dan
The //dan// roles encompass all of the female roles in the plays of the //jingxi//, or Beijing opera. Originally, female characters were signaled by the wearing of a plain blue band on the head ( Brušák 1976). This sign eventually turned into the more elaborate costumes and character types of female characters. Several subcategories exist in this category of roles, and more than the other categories, the distinct differences between the majority Han and the minority but ruling Manchu clan can be seen (Bonds 2008).

The //laodan//, like their counterparts, the //laosheng//, are the older, more dignified female characters. They are distinct for their use of a walking staff along with their hunched walking. Their costume consists of knee length robes with water sleeves, though their costume also includes //chenqun,// which literally means "inside skirts," similar to petticoats. Rather than the high soled boots (//houdi xue)// of the //laosheng,// the //laodan// wear fuzi lu ("good fortune shoes") with a small rise in the sole. Of the female characters, though, this small rise is the highest sole, indicating the respect due to these older, dignified characters.

The next character type is the //qingyi//, which means "black clothing," though black is not the primary color of their clothing. These young to middle-aged women wear //nupi//, formal women's robes which end at the knee. The robes are usually in pastel colors to match the //wenxioasheng//, who are usually the paramours of the //qingyi//. The robes include water sleeves as well as the //baizhe qun//, known as the 100 pleat skirt. The characters wear flat shoes (//caixie)// as an indication of their lower status to the //laodan.//

The //qingyi// are more dignified than the //huadan// (flower women), characters who are young women with far more comic roles (Bonds, 2008). The //nupi//, formal robes worn by the //qingyi//, are replaced by trousers (//kuzi)//, a short jacket (//ao//), and flat shoes. The robes of the //qingyi// are in the Manchu style from the Qing dynasty, while the //kuzi// and //ao// call back to the Han dynasty before the invasion of the Manchu.

The final category of the //dan// roles is the //wudan//, the female warrior (Bonds 2008). The //daoma dan// (sword and horse woman) character corresponds to the //duanda wusheng//, and her costume, the //zhan'ao zhanqun//, is a similar jacket, pants, and skirt set. The difference in the female costume is the inclusion of skirt flaps and flat boots, known as barbarian boots of //xiao manxue//. Female armor is also a costume choice, which includes a //kui// with long feathers attached and intricate phoenix and flower embroidery.



=Jing=

//Jing// characters are more formidable than the //sheng// roles, and for this reason, their makeup and costume are much bigger and bolder than their //sheng// counterparts (Bonds 2008). The makeup gives the face a more painted look, and while the roles are usually claimed by actors of larger stature and body shape, the costume does much to pad the body and make them appear larger than life.

The first subdivision of the //jing// role is the //zhengjing//, also known as //da hualian//, or big painted face. These characters possess primary roles in the plays they're involved in, and they act as judges, warriors, supernatural beings, and court officials. Some characters in this category are also referred to as //tongchui//, or copper hammer, after the prop that they hold throughout the play. A great variety of costumes are used by the //zhenjing// because of the many situations and characters the category encompasses, yet certain items, like broad padded vests (//pang'ao),// longer, thicker beards, and higher soled boots give the //zhengjing// the added fierceness and boldness need for the characters. The //zhengjing// usually portray generals, statesmen, and even emperors.

The //fujing// is a supporting character in the //jing// category, and they are also known as //jiazi hualian//, or postured painted faces. Unlike the //zhengjing//, the //fujing// are required to do martial arts, so their costumes more closely approximate the warrior costumes of the //sheng// and //dan// categories.



Chou
The //chou// category is reserved for the clown and comic roles (Bonds 2008). The word //chou// has the same Chinese character as the word ugly, and the point of the makeup and costume is to point out the absurdity and ugliness in the characters. This role category has also been called //doufu//, which means bean curd face. The main difference between //chou// costumes and the other role categories is the appropriateness of length, color, and style. A beard may be shorter than it should be, or a skirt may be too long. These inappropriate characteristics call to mind an axiom of the //jingxi// costumer: It is better to wear a damaged cloth rather than a wrong one (Art Conversation website). Because the //chou// roles wear the wrong kind of clothes, they are immediately recognized as foolish and ugly.

The first subcategory of the //chou// is the //wenchou//, a civil servant who acts foolishly or imprudently. The costumes in this subcategory would follow the //laosheng// or //xiaosheng// categories, but the robes will be shorter, the color more garish, and the embroidery less decorative (Bonds 2008). //Wenchou// also emcompasses the roles of servants, laborers, and other low class characters. In these roles, the //wenchou// will tuck in their robes, showing their pants and gaiters (//bangtui//).

The //wuchou// are the comic warriors, and they wear much the same costume as their counterparts in the //sheng//, //dan//, and //jing// categories. They will wear the //kuaiyi// pants and jacket set of the other warriors, but there is a special version for some of the comic //wuchou// characters. This outfit, called the hua kuaiyi, is more flowery and decorated than the other warrior //kuaiyi//, an inappropriate decoration that gives away their comic nature.

The final subcategory of the //chou// is the //caidan//, the old woman roles typically played by men (Bonds 2008). These roles include matchmakers, meddling mothers, and stepsisters. The makeup changes from the more natural makeup of the //laodan// to a closer affiliation with the younger characters of the //qingyi//, and the costumes follow the pattern as well, with a parody version of the //qingyi nupi// robes used by the caidan. The length of these robes is usually longer than would be deemed appropriate, and the colors are generally too close to pastel for it to be appropriate for an older woman. The //caidan// can also wear a //caipo ao//, an oversized, boxy jacket, with short trousers.







Choice of Costume
The costume tradition is the key to choosing robes for a role. The audience recognizes the costume partially from the tradition of what the role dictates (Art Conversation website). While the costumes are set by the category of the character, some leeway exists within the category to demonstrate specific character traits. As Brušák points out, the situation in the play can change how a costume piece is viewed by the audience and what it communicates: "A cape worn early in the morning betrays the fact that the character returned home late at night; worn later in the day, however, it indicates the wearer's laziness and slovenliness" ( Brušák 1976, 65).

The clothes for each Beijing Opera character are chosen based on the role type as well as the social position, age, and situation of the play (Bonds 2008). The choice of color, for example, can bring out the emphasis in a character. For example, in the play //Lu Bu and Diaochan//, Lu Bu is a general and a wuxiaosheng character. Traditionally, this role is often seen in pink, considered an amorous color to emphasize his amorous nature in the play. However, to dress him in white, as a performance in 1996 chose to use, changes the emphasis to his valor on the battlefield.

Age, sex, and social status are also easily recognizable from the style of costume worn (Bonds 2008). Men's //kao// does not have the layers of streamers that female armor, //nukao//, possesses. Embroidery is different for the sexes as well, with specific embroidery, like the phoenix on //nukao//, clearly indicating the sex of the character. Age is often associated with beards, length of robes, and where the closing of the robe lies. The longer and whiter the beard becomes indicates that the character is older and worthy of more respect and dignity. Color is also an important indicator of age, with pastels indicating youth. Social rank can be seen through the ornateness of the costume and the height of the shoe. Servants and warriors wear flat shoes, while court officials and generals wear elevated boots. Wealth is indicated through color and adornment, not through style. The cut and style of the garment for rich and poor is the same, but the depth of color and addition of embroidery raises the social status of the costume.

One interesting aspect in the choice of costume concerns the edicts of the minority Manchu Qing dynasty on everyday clothing. When the Manchu invaded China and conquered the majority Han population, they separated the Han from the Manchu physically, making the Manchu court seem distant from the common man (Vollmer 2000). The court imposed strict regulations on the majority, conquered Han people, forcing them to adopt the Manchu style of clothing (Dickinson and Wrigglesworth 2002). The distinct Manchu style of dress made its way into the Beijing Opera, which was popular with both the Han and Manchu peoples (Vollmer 2000). Some elements of the Han majority were used in Beijing Opera, despite the dominance of the Manchu during the time of its development (Bonds 2008). The longer, tubular sleeves, the less ornate headdresses, and the skirts worn by the Han women (straigher and less ornate than their Manchu counterparts) demonstrate ethnic difference onstage.

The presence of Manchu costume became more and more popular through the 18th century, perhaps because of the edict enforcing a Manchu dress code. One of the items that made the transition from the Manchu wardrobe into the //jingxi// were the //chizi//, or banners worn by military men to show their prowess (Dickinson and Wrigglesworth 2002). Another item distinctly Manchu in origin is the //ma xue//, or high soled boots worn by characters to indicate higher status. Beijing Opera was conservative in use of non-Manchu garments (Vollmer 2000). The plays were popular both with the Manchu and the Han Chinese, and the placement of the costumes within the current fashion rather than the previous historical periods allowed both groups to enjoy the performance without reminders of the occupation by the Manchu. For this reason, the choice of costume doesn't necessarily follow the historical period of the play, but rather, what was considered appropriate for the audience and the character type (Fashion Institute Website, Secret China Website).



Creation of the Costumes
Historically, clothing and especially court robes were strictly governed by edicts from the emperor. In the creation of court robes, the silk were carefully manufactured, then certified as perfect by a //si fu//, a royal inspector sent to ensure that the pattern was perfect (Dickinson and Wrigglesworth 2002). If they were deemed perfect with no defects at all, the silk was sent to the palace and the official wardrobe deparment. Court officials had to buy their own court robes, though on rare occasions the emperor would give a full set of court robes to an official as a high honor. By the end of the nineteenth century, a court robe cost the equivalent of three years salary. For an actor to buy court robes would have cost them several times their annual salary.

Respect for textiles is demonstrated in the construction of Beijing Opera costumes as well. Construction of costumes is a traditional art that has been passed down orally through generations (Bonds 2008). Modern weaving has altered the process somewhat (eliminating back seams, for example, because modern looms can make wider silk), but other techniques have remained the same for centuries. The first step in the process is the cutting of the costume. The raw pieces are then lined with canvas to support the heavy embroidery for the robes. After the painstaking embroidery is done by hand, the costume is assembled. The placement of seams is considered before the cutting of the costume to allow for the weight of the embroidery, the best use of the fabric, and the place where the least wear will occur. Historically, silk was cut sparingly, using every inch of the fabric (Vollmer 2000). The selvages of the silk, the stronger woven edges, were used in the shoulder and side seams, giving extra strength in places where the most stress occurs during performance. Because of this careful construction, the costumes last for decades, and many examples of court robes and Beijing Opera costumes from centuries ago can still be seen in good condition in museums around the world.

Conclusion
The costumes of the //jingxi// create spectacle in a way that few other art forms can accomplish. The outward adornment of the characters and the signs it communicates to the audience gives them the freedom to judge the performance of the actor rather than attempting to determine their character. The communication of beauty and the moral of the piece becomes central because of the costumes, making them key to any Beijing Opera performance.

Bibliography

-Art Conversation Website. http://www.artconversation.com/art-discussion-general/1078-do-you-like-beijing-opera.html. Accessed Dec. 13, 2009. -Bonds, Alexandra B. //Beijing Opera Costumes: The Visual Communication of Character and Culture.// Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 2008. - Brušák, Karel. "Signs in the Chinese Theater." In //Semiotics of Art//, ed. Ladislav Matejka and Irwin R. Titunik, 59-73. Cambridge: MIT Press, 1976. -China Fun Website, http://www.china-fun.net/topics/Topic/20061220/091620.shtml. Accessed Dec. 13, 2009. -Dickinson, Gary and Linda Wrigglesworth. //Imperial wardrobe.// Berkeley: Ten Speed Press, 2000. -Fashion Institute Exhibit Website. http://fidm.edu/resources/museum+galleries/exhibits/opulent-opera/beijing/beijing.html. Accessed Dec. 13, 2009. -Secret China Website. http://en.secretchina.com/culture_history/3172.html. Accessed Dec. 13, 2009. -Vollmer, John. //Ruling from the Dragon Throne: costume of the Qing dynasty (1644-1911)//. Berkeley: Ten Speed Press, 2002.

Pictures: -Bonds, Alexandra B. //Beijing Opera Costumes: The Visual Communication of Character and Culture.// Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 2008. -Cultural China Website. http://cultural-china.com/chinaWH/html/en/27Arts622.html. Accessed Dec. 13, 2009. -My Beijing Website. http://www.mybeijingchina.com/beijing-opera/roles.htm. Accessed Dec. 13, 2009. -TravelBlog Website. http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/China/Beijing/Feng-Tai-District/blog-103622.html. Accessed Dec. 13, 1009.