Shanxi Travel Guide
Facial makeup is used for actors in traditional Chinese operas, mainly in the painted-face roles and the comic roles. It had regular patterns in forms, colors and styles, which revealed the actor's character by means of exaggeration and transmutation of figures. An expert spectator can tell the different roles from the makeup: is he or she a hero or a villain, clever or stupid, respectable or hateful?
 |
| Facial makeup |
The attractive make-up of Beijing opera took a special position in various make-up styles in Chinese operas and was famous for its symbolization and exaggeration. There are various patterns of makeup for the forehead, eyebrows, around the eyes, nose, mouth, and chin, which follow certain rules but were not changeless. The eyes, forehead and the cheeks were sometimes drawn as the wings of a bat, butterfly or swallow. The mouth and the nose were exaggerated. The facial makeup of Beijing Opera stressed symbolic colors. The colorful makeup was not for improving one's looks, but to demonstrate the characteristics of the different roles. For example, a white crescent on the black forehead of Bao Zheng implies honestly and uprightness.
 |
| handmade cloth shoes |
Paper cuts are used as decorations for windows, ceilings, lanterns and other objects. They became popular during the Qing Dynasty and have remained fashionable. Some common patterns include a snake encircling a rabbit, pomegranates with their abundant seeds, a frog blowing a bugle, a magpie in a plum tree, mandarin ducks on water, and 'xi' (happiness). There are also characters for marriage including 'living a hundred years,' 'life-long happiness and perfect harmony,' 'happiness has descended upon the house,' 'luck and auspiciousness.' After the People's Republic of China was founded, paper cuttings were exhibited in Pingyao's arts exhibitions every year. Some famous local craftswomen are Cao Qiaoying from Qiaotou Village and Zhang Yuying from Jinghua Village.
A Chinese saying is that the feet seem to age faster than the rest of the body so to remain healthy, people should take care of their feet. The most distinctive features of handmade cloth shoes are good ventilation and sweat absorption. Their flexibility adapts them to the wearer's feet, making them very comfortable. Children's shoes with embroidered cat or tiger faces on them are called cat- or tiger-shaped shoes, and demonstrate traditional Chinese needlecraft. The cat-shaped shoes are charmingly naive. These auspicious symbols are supposed to ward off evil and prevent calamities, and build wealth and honor. The soft shoes can protect babies' feet well.
