The items from 1 to 3 are from the private collection of Ms. Kathleen Hsiung Hsiao-yun, ÐÜ Ïþ ÔÆ Honorary Member of Chinese Opera Association of Hawaii. Ms. Hsiung, a Beijing Opera enthusiast, has extensive experience in performing numerous Mei-style plays in Honolulu. She has portrayed successfully a number of personalities on the stage for various community activities and charity events. In 1996, in a joint sponsorship with Center of Chinese Studies, she initiated a Beijing Opera Artist in Residence Program, inviting one Beijing Opera expert from Jiangsu Provincial Beijing Opera Troupe (½ ËÕ ¾© ¾ç Ôº ) in residence of Honolulu. This generous sponsorship has made tremendous contribution in rejuvenating local Beijing Opera activities.
1. The Robe
The robe, known as the pei (àú ), has a large collar and buttons down the front, with long inner sleeves, reaching almost to the knees. The garment is of satin, with various decorations, the flowers being sewn on whole or in scattered blossoms or broken branches. Being an important garment, it is worn in ordinary banquet scenes or at official trials. In color and manner of wearing, this robe is similar to the ceremonial robe. The robe worn by female characters is similar to that worn by male characters. The one on display is the pei for male.
2. The scholar hat (½í , jin)
This hat is worn almost exclusively by scholars in daily life. There extend horizontally from the sides a pair of wing-shaped decorations. They do not indicate any official ranks. Rather they imply that those who wear them are scholars and are expected to serve as civil servants after passing the Imperial Examinations. (Collection of Ms. Kathleen Hsiung Hsiao-yun, Honorary Member of Chinese Opera Association of Hawaii)
3. The complete costumes and auxiliary parts for the female role, Yu Ji (ÓÝ ¼§ ), in one of the best-known Beijing Opera masterpieces, Bawang Bieji (°Ô Íõ ±ð ¼§ , Farewell, My Concubine). (Collection of Ms. Kathleen Hsiung Hsiao-yun, Honorary Member of Chinese Opera Association of Hawaii)
3. a. The hat (pingdingguan, ƽ ¶¥ ¹Ú ), Heaven-High Hat, is the specially-designed head gear by Mei Lan-fang (÷ À¼ ·¼ ) for his new play, Farewell, My Concubine. The hat was designed authentically following the format of official hat gear more 2,200 years ago.
3. b. The fish armor (yulin jia, Óã ÷ë ¼× ), is also custom-designed for the play. The armor is the most important garment in a stage warrior's wardrobe, and is worn while in public service or when going into battle. As the play depicts a war scene, so both the male and female heroine all wear armors.
3. c. The cloak (doupeng, ¶· Åñ ). It is customary that both male and female roles wear a ceremonial robe on top of the armor. Here, however, Master Mei Lan-fang designed a special cloak for his new play Farewell, My Concubine to add more exquisiteness and vulnerability of the character that he is impersonating.
3. d. The Tasseled Cape (yunjian, ÔÆ ¼ç ), The "cloud" shawl-like covering is worn over the ceremonial robe or armor of an empress, a princess or a palace woman. It is circular in shape, and embellished with tassels and embroidery.
3. e. The Skirt (qun, ȹ ), is worn exclusively by female characters. An official skirt is pleated and embroidered, but a common skirt is without decoration of any kind. This skirt is a most typical example worn by a palace woman. It is supposed to be worn just on the waist. When a skirt is fastened well above the waist, it is an indication that the wearer is a poor woman in traveling garb, which is supposed to be disarranged.