Chinese Embroidered Beijing Opera Dragon RobeLength: 56 inches.
Shoulder Width: 24 inches.
Sleeve Length: 29 inches.
The costumes in the Beijing opera are graceful, magnificent, and elegant. Many are embroidered by hand. Every dragon, flower, and line on this satin robe is created by embroidery. In the Beijing opera, this robe is the queen's costume. Dragons are embroidered on the skirt of the robe and waves are embroidered around the bottomAncient Chinese culture believed the dragon was in charge of the water. Therefore, when the dragon is shown water always follows, symbolizing the power of the dragon. The retail value of this robe is more than $1000.
The Peking opera of China is a national treasure with a history of 200 years. In the 55th year of the reign of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty(1790), the four big Huiban opera Troupes entered the capital and combined with Kunqu opera, Yiyang opera, Hanju opera, and Luantan in Beijing's theatrical cycle.
Through a period of more than half a century of combination and integration of various kinds of opera evolved the present Peking opera, the most influential opera in China, whose richness of repertoire, great number of artists of performance and of audiences, and profound influence are incomparable in China.The Peking opera is a synthesis of stylized action, singing, dialogue and mime. Acrobatic fighting and dancing are used to represent a story or depict different characters and their feelings of gladness, anger, sorrow, happiness, surprise, fear, and sadness.
In the Peking opera there are four main types of roles: sheng (male), dan (young female), jing( painted face, male), and chou (clown, male or female). The characters may be loyal or treacherous, beautiful or ugly, good or bad based on the colors of their make-up. A painted red face symbolizes aggression. A white face symbolizes evil. A black face symbolizes loyalty and justice.
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