Definition
花脸 refers to the painted-face male role in Chinese opera, known as 净 (jìng). These characters are typically bold, heroic, or villainous, and their face paint is highly stylized, using colors that convey personality traits—red for loyalty, white for treachery, etc. You'll see 花脸 roles in Peking opera performances, and understanding this term helps you appreciate the symbolic encoding of character through makeup.
n.
painted-face male role in Chinese opera (the 净 role)
Examples
- 花脸。Jīngjù huā liǎn de biǎoyǎn xūyào hěn qiáng de gōnglì hé jiézòugǎn.Performing a painted-face male role in Peking opera requires great skill and sense of rhythm.
- 花脸，。Zhè wèi yǎnyuán de huā liǎn bànxiàng fēicháng wēiwǔ, guānzhòng dōu gǔzhǎng jiàohǎo.This actor's painted-face costume and makeup looked very majestic, and the audience applauded and cheered.
- 《》，花脸，。Zài 《Bàwáng Bié Jī》 lǐ, Xiàng Yǔ jiù shì huā liǎn, yǐ hēi liǎn wéi zhǔ.In Farewell My Concubine, Xiang Yu is a painted-face role, mainly with a black face.
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