Performers in Chinese opera are type cast from the beginning of their training. They learn one kind of role and stay with it through a life-long career.
Opera roles differ with regard to gestures, movements, costume and voice quality. The main categories are: Sheng - male; Tan - female; Ching - painted face (usually generals or other warriors); and Ch'ou - comedian. Actors trained in one category must be highly talented if they are to assume sub-roles within their classification. For instance, an exceptionally competent Sheng actor may move from Wu Sheng (military character) to Lao Sheng (middle-aged official). The main roles and some of the subdivisions are as follows:
Sheng - Male roles may be civil or military. There are three main subdivisions - Lao Sheng, a middle-aged or old man who wears a beard; Hsiao Sheng, a young man; and Wu Sheng, a man of military bearing who is skilled in acrobatics.
Lao Sheng actors are dignified and gentle. Often they reflect the polished manners of high officials or scholars. In military plays they are high-ranking officers of a gentler and more cultivated disposition than the face-painted Ching. Their dress is of good quality and modest in design and color. Lao Sheng wear black hats with fins on either side. The shape of the fins reveals the official's rank. Military Sheng wear less ornate costumes than Ching warriors but may be decked out in armor. Lao Sheng voices are soft and not too high-pitched.
Some Lao Sheng actors specialize in the role of Kuan Kung, the God of War. Taiwan has a number of temples dedicated to Kuan Kung, who is one of the heroes of the classical novel The Romance of the Three Kingdoms.
The Hsiao Sheng or young man has a shrill high-pitched voice to indicate his youth. This voice occasionally drops from falsetto to baritone to symbolize the vocal change of adolescence. Hsiao Sheng are usually slight of stature. Clothes are fancy for a young man of good family or a young warrior. They may be subdued in the case of a poor scholar. Military young men may be distinguished by the long pheasant feathers rising from their headdress.
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Most Wu Sheng actors are acrobats, although some roles include lines and characterization. Acrobatic skills are displayed in the stylized battle scenes and in the folk tales in which immortals and devils tumble and twist across the stage. Swords and spears are wielded deftly and rapidly but without actually touching. Long training, good conditioning and precise timing are essential. Young Wu Sheng military officers have to perform their somersaults and flips despite an elaborate pheasant feather headdress, battle flags which are strapped to their back and rise above the shoulders, and felt boots with 3-inch platform soles. Costume are often bright in color. Wu Sheng actors do not do so much singing. The voice is slightly stronger than the Lao Sheng and of natural quality.
Tan - Female roles are subdivided into six main categories indicating both character and status: Ch'ing I, modest and virtuous women; Hua Tan, flirtatious girls; Kuei Men Tan, unmarried girls; Tao Ma Tan, stronger, more forceful women, often generals; Wu Tan, acrobats; and Lao Tan, old women.
The Ch'ing I is a lady of virtue. She has a quiet and gentle disposition and moves gracefully. This is the Chinese ideal of femininity. As a wife she is faithful, as an unmarried girl a model of propriety. Her shyness is indicated by eyes which never look directly at husband or lover, but are discreetly cast down. Her good breeding is shown in the graceful, flowing movements of full-cut "water sleeves." The Ch'ing I costume is simple, of good quality and less colorful than that of the Hua Tan. The voice is pure and high pitched.
The Hua Tan is gay and a temptress. Her social position is usually lower than that of the Ch'ing I, but the Hua Tan actress is a scene stealer. Her coy, coquettish manner and quick movements capture the audience's attention.
Facial expressions of the Hua Tan are constantly changing and her eyes are mischievous and heavily made up. Well-bred Chinese ladies of ancient times did not show their hands. Because of lower social status, the Hua Tan not only shows her hands but uses them continuously. The costume of jacket and trousers is colorful. A bright handkerchief flutters from the Hua Tan's hand. She is less virtuous than the Ching I and the voice is gay and strong. The Hua Tan speaks more than she sings.
Actors and actresses assuming military roles are trained and conditioned for strenuous acrobatics (File photo)
The Kuei Men Tan is a girl who later will become a Ch'ing I or Hua Tan. Often the Kuei Men Tan is a younger Hua Tan. Her immaturity is shown in her conduct. Though naughty and mischievous, she lacks the confidence of the Hua Tan yet her schemes are often successful.
Tao Ma Tan are female warriors. The Tao Ma Tan must act, sing and skillfully manipulate the pheasant feathers of her headdress as well as her weapons. At the same time, she retains her feminine charm. This is a role reserved for actresses of great versatility. The uniform is elaborate and includes four battle flags attached to her back. The Tao Ma Tan parts are based on true or legendary stories of Chinese heroines.
Wu Tan are the female acrobats. They must be as good as the men in stunts and are expected to show more acting ability.
Lao Tan, the old women are required to show it in bent back and faltering but dignified movements. A staff is often carried. Lao Tan wear no make-up; costumes are subdued. The voice is deeper than that of other female characters and natural as opposed to the high-pitched quality of other Tan roles.
Ching - The painted faces of the Ching have come to symbolize Chinese opera. Usually the Ching is a general but he may also be an official. Colors and patterns of the face painting give clues to character. The voice is bass, robust and gruff. The manner is swaggering and self-assertive. Whether good or bad, the characters portrayed are strong. They tend to dominate their scenes.
Ching actors wear heavy, ornate costumes and headdresses with padding to give them greater bulk. The three main types are T'ung Ch'uei, better known as Hei Tou (black face), who is good at singing and usually a loyal general; Chia Tze, who excels in acting and is of complex character; and Wu Ching, who is proficient in fighting and acrobatics and seldom plays an important part in the story.
Ch'ou - These are the clowns. They may be good or bad and of any social status. The one unfailing rule is that they have to be funny - with conventional white paint across the nose and to the cheekbones. Gestures are stylized and the blinking eyes have survived thousands of years of comedy. The Ch'ou may be scholar, prince or a bum. Usually he is not respected but there are exceptions. Ch'ou are sometimes philosophers and occasionally heroes. Roles are subdivided into two types: Wen Ch'ou, a civilian, and Wu Ch'ou, who fill minor military roles and are skilled in acrobatics. The costume is appropriate to the Ch'ou position in life.
Make-up for role of the Monkey King is unique (File photo)
Chinese opera has special roles which fit none of the foregoing categories. Among these are the Monkey King, who will be seen in the U.S. tour of 1973. Candidates for this part come from the ranks of Wu Sheng actors. The Monkey King employs quick and agile movements, blinking eyes and simian gait to persuade the audience of his non-human identity. In legend, the Monkey King accompanied Hsuan-tsang on the long journey to India to collect the Buddhist scriptures. Other companions of these two are an addled monk and a pig, both of whom must be accomplished comedians. The Monkey King must use his magic powers to ward off the evil spirits that beset the adventurers. With knees bent and hands dangling, the Monkey King pauses to scratch himself between bouts with the forces of evil. To the delight of children in the audience, he can call upon the assistance of his monkey troupe. These forerunners of the Seven Dwarfs have their own unique qualities. One is greedy, another naughty, a third sleepy and so on. The adventures of Hsuan Tsang and Monkey, et al., are a source of endless fun for all.