Sichuan Opera(chuanju) is said to originate at the end of the Ming Dynasty and the beginning of the Qing Dynasty. With many people flooding into Sichuan at that time, different dramas were brought in and combined with the local dialect, customs, folk music and dances. Then Sichuan Opera gradually came into being. It is said that ancient people painted their faces to scare away dangerous wild animals. Sichuan Opera perfects this ancient skill into an art.
Face changing is the highlight of Sichuan Opera Performers wear brightly coloured costumes and vividly coloured masks, and wave their arms as their painted masks change within a second. Different colours of Sichuan Opera masks reflect different emotions and feelings of the characters.
Many people are curious about the secret of face changing. Face changing techniques generally fall into three categories, "wiping", "blowing" and "pulling". These techniques are complex and even kept mysterious. Take the technique of pulling-down masks as an example. The performer can pull down a mask which has previously been hidden on the top of his head, changing his face into red, green, blue or black to express happiness, hate, anger or sadness. This technique is so complicated that the performer must move quickly yet smoothly to achieve the amazing effect.
Face changing is a magical art By raising the hand, swinging a sleeve or shaking the head, an actor uses different masks to show different emotions, expressing invisible feelings through visible masks. Sichuan Opera, like hot pot and other Sichuan cuisine, is exciting, rich and impressive.
