Ancient China was known as the land of impeccable attire. Dress was charged with meaning through the designations of color, cut, and embroidered symbols. Within this rank and clothing conscious context, traditional theatre costumes absorbed this language of design emphasizing garments for the identification of characters. Actors, being considered from the lower status of society, were not allowed to wear replications of actual court dress, and over generations, stage costume evolved to combine the historical motifs with theatrical expression to create a unique hybrid of dress. The costumes are conventionalized, being used consistently from troupe to troupe to communicate specific role types to the audience. The clothing in this traditional performance style does not project time period, location, or season, nor is there a costume designer responsible for devising the look of each production. Instead, each company amasses their own collection of costumes that can be used for any story, historical battles or domestic dramas, and each garment is linked to specific roles through the selection of form, fabric color, and embroidered details. Every role type can therefore be identified visually by their clothing and makeup before they utter any dialogue. The extravagantly colored and embellished costumes, along with elaborately evocative face painting and glittering headdresses, reflect the richness of the imperial courts, heightened though theatrical invention to breathtaking beauty.

Photo courtesy by Alexandra Bonds