Background

Jingju is the most popular and influential opera in China. It has carried forward long-term traditions of Chinese operas and has been appreciated as the national opera. The roles in Jingju are divided into four categories: sheng, dan, jing and chou. The chou roles stand fundamentally for humorous, quick-witted, or vivacious characters. This type of roles can be recognized by the patch of white in various shapes painted around the eyes and nose. Sometimes these patches are outlined in black or in other colors, hence the name "partly painted face" or "painted face in three colors". The chou roles play different characters from noble officials to ordinary people. The chou roles leave a profound impression among audiences with their vivid and funny actions.