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A Compative Study on the Folk Play between Kumadori in Opera Kabuki and Facial make-up in Peking Opera - The Function of Make-up Color

Hyunsoon An 1

1광주보건대학교

Candidate

ABSTRACT

This study focuses on the folk play between Kumadori in Kabuki Opera and facial make-up in Peking Opera, the function of make-up color. Kauki which is one of the representative playing Operas in contemporary Japan has been grown up to get a world-wide fame in the peculiar environment and soil of Japan. Kabuki is a complexe Opera mixing with songs, dances and artistic accomplishments, has been originated from the dancing performances which were displayed by Okuni, a female sharman dressed like a man, cherishing the memory of her late husband died in the war, on the Kyoto riverside makeshift stage. The make-up design Kumadori is a pelliculiar technique which is able to show the audience the personality, age and social rank of the character at a glance, and for instance, the reckless style has a white ground, skin color hands, black eyebrows and pink lip. Peking Opera actors and actresses adopt unique make-up schemes, of which the make-up for jing role(painted faces) is the most intricate and representative. Each jing actor or actress will paint their face with oil and brushes according to certain designs. It is one of the basic skills that needs to be mastered by a jing performer. Various jing roles have different make-up schemes, with designs dictated by rules of cultural tradition. The function of make-up is to express different traits, qualities and social status. Variety in character is achieved mainly through the use of different colors and designs. Certain colors symbolize set character traits. Red usually means loyalty, black is for integrity; white represents a conspiratorial character, and yellow a bold man. Blue and green indicate cruelty, and gold and silver are for ghosts and immortals. Peking Opera, by absorbing make-up from different local operas, gradually developed its own special make-up regimen.

Citation status

* References for papers published after 2023 are currently being built.