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Traditional
Costumes
Besides facial make-up, each character in Chinese Opera wears a distinctive costume
which tells the audience about the rank, status and personality traits of the
wearer.
Armour
The
armour or K'ao is a stiff costume with brilliant colours
and often has the design of a tiger's head or dragon across
the front. It is worn by actors and actresses playing high
military officials in the jing (painted face), Wu Sheng (male
acrobat) and Dao Ma Dan (female warrior) roles. If the official
wears four triangular pennants on his back, it shows that
he has received his authority from the emperor himself.
Military
characters also wear headgears with two great pheasant
plumes that are sometimes nearly six or seven feet in length
and sprouting from the actor's head.
Picture source:
Hokkien Kong Huay
XiangOpera Troupe
This actor
plays a wu sheng with his armour and spear. |
Picture source: Hokkien Kong Huay
XiangOpera Troupe
The actor
dons the
warrior's special gear
which also included four triangular pennants
on his back. |
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A
male and a female warrior.
Picture source:
Hokkien Kong
Huay XiangOpera Troupe |
Headdress
The headdress is a very important accessory in the Chinese Opera costume as it
helps the audience to identify specific roles.
A backstage display of headresses.
Elaborate headresses decorated with sequins and pearls are only worn by people
of high status such as emperors and empresses, generals, princes and chief concubines.
More important characters will wear more ornate and striking headresses.
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Dan
characters usually wear elaborate headdresses.
Picture source: Hokkien Kong Huay
XiangOpera Troupe |
An emperor and empress
in elaborate headdresses.
Picture source: Hokkien
Kong Huay XiangOpera Troupe
Hats
Picture source:
Hokkien Kong Huay XiangOpera
Troupe |
There
are many different kinds of hats worn in Chinese Opera.
Scholars and officials often wear simple black hats
with two fins coming out from the sides. |
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Thus,
it is important for actors to wear the right hats
as the fins denote an actor's character or rank.
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Hats
with rectangular fins are worn by high officials while
round fins are worn by treacherous characters.
Hats with long, thin fins are only worn by Prime Ministers.
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Picture
source: Hokkien Kong Huay
XiangOpera Troupe
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A
young scholar from a well-to-do family will wear
a richly embroidered hat and fins in the shape of
two curled butterfly wings.
Picture source: Hokkien Kong Huay
XiangOpera Troupe
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Sleeves
They
are sleeves which have an extra length of cloth that
consist of long strips of white silk.
Water sleeves are flickered to emphasize a point, shaken |
Picture:
A History of Chinese Opera in Singapore |
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when
angry or stretched out when in dance. Some hua dans
and high officials have water sleeves.
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Sheng
and Hua dan with their long water sleeves.
Picture source:
Hokkien Kong Huay
XiangOpera Troupe |
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