Peking Opera,Aesthetically Appealing Art
Ancient Costume (guzhuang yi )
Guzhuang yi is formal wear for royal ladies or fairies. It features elegant
colors and simple designs.
Palace Garment (gongzhuang )
Gongzhuang is a kind of informal dress for queens or princesses. It is
commonly made for characters of fairies, imperial ladies, and royal concubines.
The garment features red colors and is luxuriously embroidered with the design
of phoenix and peony.
Colored Gown (Kaichang )
Kaichang is also a long robe with a sloping collar and wide sleeves.
Characters without an official title cannot wear a kaichang. However, the rank
of one who wears a kaichang is lower than one who wears a mang. Usually martial
roles wear a kaichang, while civic officials wear a guanyi (official robe).
Embroidered patterns like lions, tigers,
leopard
s, and kylins are featured in kaichang.
The Rich-to-be Gown (Fugui yi )
Fugui yi is called qiongyi (the beggar's gown) in that the character is poor
at first but becomes rich later. Thus, the gown is viewed as a propitious sign.
Gown with a Sloping Collar (Zhezi )
Zhezi is widely used and can be worn by characters regardless of status and
gender. It features a large sloping collar and resembles a Taoist's robe.
Armour (Kao )
Kao is special wear for characters of military officials. Kao is classified
into "grand" ones and "light" ones. A "grand" kao is equipped with triangular
banners on the back. Both grand kao and light kao are dramatized costumes in
that they are not found in historic Chinese martial attire.
Gown with a Vertical Collar (Pei )
Pei is a long robe with wide sleeves. It has symmetrical fronts with a
vertical collar rather than round or sloping collars. Pei is suitable for
characters that are either high officials or belong to the upper-class.
Python Ceremonial Robe (Mang )
Mang is worn by actors playing emperors, ministers, commanders-in-chief, and
other high-ranking officials. Embroidered patterns on a mang usually include
"circular dragon
," "spread-out dragon," and "large dragon." The emperor wears a yellow mang with
five claws. The others wear mangs with four claws.
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