Chinese traditional opera costumes

Author: Pan Jialai, Editor-in-Chief
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-10-01
Features: Costume refers to the attire worn by traditional Chinese opera roles during performances, commonly known as "xingtou" (stage attire). Shops that made and sold costumes were traditionally called "xingtou shops." During the Qing Dynasty, opera troupes gradually adopted the "yixiang system" for easier management, generally categorizing costumes into five types: the main costume box, the second costume box, the third costume box, the helmet box, and the flag holder box. There was also a hairdressing table for placing makeup items, collectively referred to as "five boxes and one table." The main costume box stored long robes for the "wenfu" (civilian attire) category. The second costume box housed "wufu" (martial attire) and all types of short robes. The third costume box contained colored pants, water-resistant robes, and opera shoes. The xingtou industry, however, was even more detailed in its classification. Costumes specifically referred to the bodywear categories of "wenfu" and "wufu," broadly encompassing robes, armor, and other types of attire. Costume making was considered a high-ranking trade. Helmets, headbands, masks, boots, shoes, and weapons were excluded from the realm of costumes and were often classified as "qiemo" (props), regarded as slightly lower in status within the industry. This book provides a comprehensive description of the history of Chinese costumes, their relationship with traditional clothing, the styles of costumes across different schools, their colors and patterns, and their craftsmanship. It is accompanied by numerous color illustrations of various costume styles, offering significant reference value for readers to understand and appreciate costumes. At the same time, it also helps in understanding the evolution and development of Chinese clothing.