Beijing Opera facial makeup Peking Opera masks

Peking (Beijing) Opera Facial Makeup, or lianpu, is a stylized form of painted stage makeup used to instantly signal a character’s role, personality, moral quality, and fate. Color plus pattern = code: red suggests loyalty and bravery; black, integrity and impartiality; white, cunning or treachery; blue/green, bold or unruly heroism; gold/silver, supernatural beings. Designs vary by play and school, but these painted faces have become one of the most recognizable visual icons of Chinese opera.