Chinese opera-masks

Welcome to the Chinese Opera!

Scenes from the Opera

The actors are getting ready for the opera.

They paint their own faces.

Chinese Opera Mask, Guan Yu

Red Color Red indicates

devotion, courage bravery,

uprightness and loyalty.

Chinese Opera Mask, Zhang Fei

Black symbolizes roughness and fierceness. The black face indicates either a rough and bold character or an impartial and selfless personality.

Chinese Opera Mask, Tu Xingsun

Yellow signifies fierceness, ambition and cool-headedness.

Chinese Opera Mask, Lian Po

Purple stands for uprightness, sophistication and cool-headedness. The reddish purple face likewise shows a just and noble character.

Chinese Opera Mask, Xia Houdun

Blue represents staunchness, fierceness and astuteness.

Chinese Opera Mask, Cao Cao

White suggests sinisterness, treacherousness, suspiciousness and craftiness. Commonly seen on the stage is the white face for the powerful villain. It highlights all that is bad in human nature: cunning, craftiness, and treachery.

Chinese Opera Mask, Zheng Wun

A green face tells the audience that the character is impulsive and violent and depicts surly stubbornness, impetuosity and a total lack of self-restraint.

Video of authentic Chinese Opera