Sichuan Opera (川剧 Chuānjù) is a style of Chinese opera that is mainly popular in areas of Sichuan, Chongqing, Yunnan and Guizhou, and is full of interesting tricks to enthrall and impress audiences! Read on to find out more about it.
It’s about 300 years old
Sichuan opera developed towards the end of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) out of five other older styles of opera, some of which date back to the Three Kingdoms Period (220-280 AD). Over time, elements of the province’s languages, customs, and folk songs were incorporated to give it a unique Sichuan flavour.
It’s very exciting to watch
Sichuan Opera is famous for its many tricks and stunts, which include face-changing (swapping one mask for another in the blink of an eye), blowing fire, and performing acrobatic movements or tasks whilst the performer balances a bowl of fire on his head.
Face-changing is the most famous aspect of Sichuan Opera
Face-changing is used to reveal the changes in the thoughts and feelings of the characters in the play. The masks are made of very thin silk, so they are easy to remove quickly when changing faces. (We won’t spoil the secret of how it is done by explaining it here!)
The music is as important as the singing
Gongs and drums are an important part of Sichuan Opera music. In fact there are more than 20 kinds of musical instruments used in this style, with the most common including different sized gongs and drums to give different effects, cymbals, string instruments and suonas (a sunoa is a kind of horn).
Sichuan Opera can be experienced in many different locations
Not only is it performed in theaters, but also found in places frequented by locals such as restaurants and teahouses.
Have you ever seen Sichuan Opera? What did you think of it? Let us know in the comments below. We would love hearing your thoughts and insights on traditional Chinese culture!
Photo Credits
– xiquinhosilva on Flickr, pxhere.com
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