Soul of Beijing Opera, The: Theatrical Creativity and Continuity in the Changing World

Appendix 2. Main Features of Jingju Role Types

Appendix 2 Main Features of Jingju Role Types 302 Appendix 2: Main Features of Jingju Role Types Sheng Role types1 Characters in plays Main features Skill specializations2 Speech Voice Make-up3 Particulars Laosheng (old male role, often referred to as singing sheng in this volume) Dignified men, middle-aged to old. May be poor or rich, educated, officials or emperors. Singing, speaking and dance-acting. Heightened speech. Natural. Thin layer of foundation in a natural tone. Eyes and eyebrows lightly delineated.4 Wearing beards. Wusheng (male warrior role) Generals or any male characters who take part in battles. Acrobatics, martial arts and dance. Heightened speech. Natural. Slightly stronger foundation than the laosheng. Spear-point shaped rouge in middle of forehead to show masculinity. Can wear facial patterns, depending on the characters in specific plays. With or without beards. Xiaosheng (young male role) Young men of letters or scholar lovers. Singing, speaking and dance-acting.5 Heightened speech. Falsetto. Thick foundation of warmer cream colour. Rouge around eyes, fading into pink cheeks. Eyes and eyebrows lined raven black. Forehead, bridge of the nose, upper mouth and chin almost white with slightly reddened lips. No beards. This table is based on seminar handouts prepared by the Shanghai Jingju Theatre (1984) and Ma Shaobo et al. (1999). 303 Appendix 2: Main Features of Jingju Role Types Dan Qingyi (blue gown female role) Young to middle-aged good and virtuous women, as defined in the tradition: a filial daughter, devoted wife or lover, or a good mother. Demure and subdued in action but graceful. Singing is more important than speaking and dance-acting. Heightened speech. False voice. Similar to that of the xiaosheng, but with whitish cream-coloured foundation. Both rouge and lipstick are a deeper red than the xiaosheng. Huadan (flowery female role) Vivacious, flirtatious or shrewish young women, sometimes questionable characters. Usually low social status. Speaking and dance-acting. Mainly colloquial speech. False voice. Same as qingyi. Wore qiao in most plays before 1949. Huashan6 (flowery gown female role) Young ladies, good and virtuous. More active than the qingyi role, but not as vivacious as the huadan. Singing, speaking and dance-acting. Heightened speech. False voice. Same as qingyi. Wudan (female warrior role) Women who take part in battles, often acting supernatural beings. Acrobatics, martial arts and dance (specializing in somersaults and throwing or kicking weapons among fighters). Heightened and colloquial speech. False voice. Same as qingyi. Wore qiao before 1949. Daoma dan (sword and horse female role) Female generals, wearing armour costume, or female bandits. Singing, speaking and combat (emphasizing a military manner). Heightened and colloquial speech. False voice. Same as qingyi. Wore qiao in most plays before 1949. Laodan (old female role) Elderly female characters, from poor to rich, low to high social status. Singing. Heightened speech. Natural. Thin layer of foundation in light flesh tone. Eyes and eyebrows lightly delineated. 304 Appendix 2: Main Features of Jingju Role Types Role types Characters in plays Main features Skill specializations Speech Voice Make-up Particulars Jing Tongchui (copper hammer sub-category of painted-face role) Loyal statesmen, upright judges, great and important people of good character. Singing. Heightened speech. Natural but robust, full and nasal, producing great volume. Facial patterns. With beards. Jiazi (posture sub-category of painted-face role) Brave warriors, swashbuckling bandits, or crafty and evil ministers. Dance-acting (emphasizing a great manner/ posture). Heightened speech. Same as above. Facial patterns. With beards. Wujing (martial sub-category of painted-face) Bandits and fighters, gods or supernatural beings. Acrobatics, martial arts and dance. Heightened speech. Same as above. Facial patterns. With or without beards. Chou Wenchou (civilian comic role) Comic characters from young to old, poor to rich, low to high social status. Mostly male, but can act female roles like an ugly miss in a rich family or a matchmaker. Good or evil. Speaking, singing and dance-acting. Heightened speech or colloquial speech. Natural (occasionally uses falsetto). Facial patterns with a white patch around eyes and nose. With or without short beards. Wuchou (martial comic role) Bandits and thieves. Funny, sometimes foolish. Acrobatics, martial arts, dance and speaking. Heightened speech or colloquial speech. Natural (occasionally uses falsetto). Facial patterns with a white patch around eyes and nose. With or without short beards.7 305 Appendix 2: Main Features of Jingju Role Types 1 Most sub...