Face Changing ~ 变脸 http://youtu.be/DkOYiaGdbHU

(Compiled by Glenda Gao from GoGo Mandarin) ~ www.gogomandarin.com

“Face changing” (in Chinese known as “bian lian”) is a special

technique in Sichuan opera used to reveal the innermost thoughts

and feelings of the characters on stage.

变脸是运用在川剧艺术中塑造人物的一种特技，用于揭示剧中人物

内心的思想感情。

According to legend, the art of “face changing” began when the

ancients used face masks with a variety of vivid expressions on

them to scare off wild animals which ventured too near their

dwellings.

相传“变脸”是古代人类面对凶猛的野兽，为了生存把自己脸部用不

同变脸的方式勾画出不同形态，以吓唬入侵的野兽。

There are about 300 plays currently performed in China which

contain acts of “face changing” but of varying length depending on

the play and the “face changing” acts also involve varying

techniques. Sichuan opera enabled face changing to be

performed on stage and the ingenious nature of its tricks and

techniques have made it a unique art form. It has won public

recognition and has received popular international acclaim.

变脸，在全国300余个戏曲剧种中都有此绝活，只不过变脸的种类

有多寡之别，变脸的方法有差异之分。 川剧把“变脸”搬上舞台，用

绝妙的技巧使它成为一门独特的艺术文化。众所公认，川剧的变脸

最为著名，饮誉中外。

“Face changing” in Sichuan opera is not like other forms of

dramatic performance. Normally, actors must put on their make-

up and costumes backstage or do so behind a screen on the stage

set. Only then do they venture onto the stage to perform. But the

amazing thing about “face changing” is the way the artist can

change his facial expression on stage in an astonishingly short

space of time. In the blink of an eye, the face changes from joyous

to angry, to doleful to happy, to surprise or sorrow. This technique

enables the performer to express the dynamics of the feelings of

the characters portrayed in the play. With the changes in facial

expression the representations of mood are made more vivid and

this increases the tension and drama in the play. Whenever a

famous “face changer” appears on stage, the auditorium will

often be jam-packed. So, as we can see, the public in China have

a lot of affection for this amazing art form.

川剧的变脸不像其它戏剧表演， 演员的化妆必需重新在后台换装或

换上另外的服饰或以布幕隔离，才能再出场表演；变脸最神奇之处

，在于短时间内变出多款面谱。不管喜， 怒 ，哀，乐，还是惊讶，

忧伤都可以在一刹那间变化出来，使得演员能够就剧中人物的内心

起伏，籍由脸相的转变，表现的更为淋漓尽致，增加戏剧的张力和

震撼性。 每当名角表演变脸，就常常酿成爆棚之患。可见，老百姓

对这种极端好看的耍活儿是打心眼里认可的。

There are three main categories of “face changing”: face wiping,

face blowing and face pulling.

变脸的主要手法有三种：抹脸、吹脸、扯脸。

Face wiping

抹脸

Coloured grease paint is daubed on a specific part of the face and

at a specific time the hand wipes the face in such a way as to

change the colour. If the whole face is to be changed, it may be

necessary to place the hidden paint on the forehead or eyebrows.

If only half the face is to change colour, then putting paint on the

cheeks or nose may be sufficient.

将油彩涂在脸的某个特定部位上，到时再用手往脸上一抹，就可以

变成另外一种脸色。如果要全部变，则将油彩涂于额上或眉毛上，

如果只变下半部的脸，则将油彩涂在脸上或鼻子上即可。

Face blowing

吹脸

This type of face changing is only suitable when using gold, black

or silver powder makeup. Often a little box will be placed on the

stage floor with powder inside it and the artist will , at a certain

point in the act, perform a dance in which he prostrates himself on

the floor. While doing so, with his face very near the box, he blows

into it thereby making the powder scatter all over his face and

producing an instant change of face colour.

只适合于粉末状的化妆品，如金粉，墨粉，银粉等，有的是在舞台

的地面是摆一个很小的盒子，内装粉末，演员到时做一个伏地的舞

蹈动作。趁机将脸贴近盒子一吹，粉末片就扑在脸上，立即变成另

一种颜色的脸。

Face pulling

扯脸

This is a very complicated “face changing” art form. To prepare for

it, coloured masks are drawn on sheets of silk, and then cut into a

form fitting the face of the artist. To each is attached a string.

Each mask is then placed over the face with the attached strings

tied somewhere in the artist’s robes where he can access them

easily but which is not apparent to the audience. During the

performance, with the dance drawing peoples’ attention away from

the techniques being used, each face is removed, one by one.

一种比较复杂的变脸方式。它是事前将脸谱画在一张张绸子上，剪

好，每张脸谱上都系一根绳子。再一张张地贴在脸上，透明的丝线

则系在衣服的某一个顺手而又不引人注目的地方，随着表演的需要

，在舞蹈动作的掩护下，再一张张地扯下來。

The masks have to be tailor-made in order that they fit properly on

the artist’s face。 In the past, they had to be discarded after being

used just once, but with modern materials they can be used over

and over again.

「變臉」面具要度身訂造，確保能具有貼面的效果，過往是用完即

棄，現在經改良後，可以重复使用。

The performer may flourish a fan, a pot or a sword as a prop to

razzle dazzle the audience. He then tugs at the fishing line hidden

inside his costume in order to pull the masks one by one through

the collar and conceal them within his costume. Of course,

explaining this is one thing, but actually witnessing a performance

and witnessing how the artists manages to pull each mask off at a

speed invisible to the naked eye is quite breathtaking.

表演者會揮動扇、盆或刀劍等器具，配合一連串「做手」，拉動藏

於戲服內的魚絲线，將面譜一層一層沿衣領拉進戲服內。

So, have a look at this video and see if you can figure out how it is

done!

好，现在请仔细看一下此视频，看看你能看出哪些门道？

Please leave a comment as I would love to hear from you! Want more information on Chinese culture and customs? If so, please let me know and email me: glendagao@gogomandarin.com www.gogomandarin.com www.facebook.com/gogomandarin