The Change of Faces (变脸 Bianlian )

The change of faces is a stunt in traditional Chinese theatre that is designed to capture the dramatic changes of mood of a character on stage. When a character's heart is going from panic to rage, he changes his face in a split second; the stunt, though somewhat exaggerating, never fails to surprise the audience and enhance the appeal of the show.

The change of faces is most often used in Chuanju Opera. In the opera Severing the Bridge, for instance, when the female protagonist Xiao Qing catches sight of the weak-hearted and unfaithful Xu Xian, she burst into a rage, and in her sudden transition of mode from white to red to green and black. The performer is so agile in her movement that each change is made by turning her body. This skill is acquired through special training. In some cases multiple layers of masks are used, to be torn away each change of facial expression.