91:, is an important part of Chinese Sichuan opera. Sichuan opera is one of the Han Chinese operas, popular in eastern and central Sichuan, Chongqing and Guizhou Province, Yunnan Province. Sichuan Opera masks are the important part of the Sichuan Opera performing; they are treasures that the ancient opera artists work together to create and pass down. The secret of the face change has been passed down from one generation to the next within families. Traditionally only males were permitted to learn Bian Lian, the theory being that women did not stay within the family and would marry out, increasing the risk the secret would be passed to another family. Controversially, a
1137:
29:
107:
allegedly offered to pay Bian Lian master Peng
Denghuai 3,000,000 yuan (ca. US$ 360,000) in order to learn the techniques. Although Lau did learn the techniques from Peng, both deny any money changed hands. Knowing the secret does not make it easy and thus far, Andy Lau has learned only how the masks
99:
In a 2006 interview, Sichuan Opera performer Wang
Daozheng said the secret of Bian Lian leaked out during the 1986 visit of a Sichuan Opera troupe to Japan. Wang laments the leak of this Chinese traditional secret performance art and is concerned that non-Chinese performers in Japan, Singapore, South
141:
Since the cultural basis of the opera are not well known outside of China, international performers have been making efforts to inform and increase the entertainment value for
Westerners who do not know the context and meaning of the different faces.
100:
Korea and other countries are not well-trained. Wang argues that Bian Lian is one of the traditional arts protected by
Chinese secrecy laws but officials of the Ministry of Culture of the People's Republic of China have stated that this is not true.
111:
Historically, Bian Lian had rarely been seen outside of China because non-Chinese were not permitted to learn the art form, but since the mid-2000s it has been performed occasionally in international mass media and at
Chinese themed events.
95:
woman named Candy Chong has become a popular performer after learning Bian Lian from her father. Another female performer is Du Li Min, who teaches a workshop in Kuala Lumpur with her husband Bian Jiang.
79:, typically depicting well known characters from the opera, which they change from one face to another almost instantaneously with the swipe of a fan, a movement of the head, or wave of the hand.
190:
The actor can pull down a mask which has previously been hidden on top of their head, changing their face to red, green, blue or black to express happiness, hate, anger or sadness, respectively.
268:
297:
1083:
134:
363:
1321:
1433:
495:
1160:
176:
Beard colours can be changed while the beard is being manipulated, from black to grey and finally to white, expressing anger or excitement.
333:
312:"PRC Ministry of Culture Says Face-Changing was Not Certified as a Traditional Art Covered by the PRC Secrecy Law 文化部称川剧变脸未经保密法认定"
276:
1505:
1076:
194:
180:
152:
40:
166:
118:
48:
1428:
1297:
1281:
1510:
1313:
1069:
488:
162:
The actor blows black dust hidden in their palm or close to his eyes, nose or mouth, so that it obscures their face.
1448:
1348:
214:
1404:
1383:
1362:
371:
204:
The actor drags greasepaint hidden in their sideburns or eyebrows across their face to change their appearance.
75:. Performers wear brightly colored costumes and move to quick, dramatic music. They also wear vividly colored
1305:
1106:
128:
1500:
481:
1443:
1411:
1244:
1001:
1458:
1254:
1249:
1216:
1170:
818:
1136:
464:
BBC article about face changing artist He
Hongqing with good video showing the speed of the changing
1479:
1369:
1176:
932:
436:
1397:
473:
1453:
1438:
1264:
1156:
919:
783:
778:
231:
92:
20:
71:'Face-Changing') is an ancient Chinese dramatic art that is part of the more general
1376:
1355:
1329:
1121:
1116:
1092:
463:
225:
88:
341:
1259:
905:
695:
608:
553:
411:
122:
television special with a brief black-light performance of Bian Lian. Michael Stroud, (as
1474:
1221:
1211:
1181:
852:
773:
720:
675:
633:
1494:
1201:
1151:
1006:
805:
700:
685:
536:
504:
311:
220:
72:
1289:
1226:
1196:
745:
705:
690:
670:
650:
613:
592:
570:
526:
239:
236:
113:
1126:
1029:
623:
558:
541:
531:
243:
1191:
1186:
1111:
1035:
948:
873:
831:
812:
715:
680:
628:
575:
468:
1206:
1166:
983:
976:
955:
859:
750:
725:
660:
638:
618:
1390:
962:
891:
767:
710:
665:
655:
586:
580:
564:
547:
104:
926:
898:
845:
838:
1061:
1042:
1012:
56:
28:
969:
866:
644:
27:
912:
824:
794:
108:
are changed so quickly, but has not yet mastered the technique.
76:
1065:
477:
1467:
1421:
1340:
1273:
1235:
1144:
1099:
1022:
994:
941:
883:
792:
759:
738:
601:
519:
512:
437:"Chinese opera face-changing: it's a kind of magic"
364:"Probably the world's only female face-changer"
1077:
489:
8:
66:
1084:
1070:
1062:
516:
496:
482:
474:
262:
260:
258:
135:Penn & Teller's Magic and Mystery Tour
19:For the 1996 film featuring this art, see
254:
1322:Mark Wilson's Complete Course In Magic
392:The World's Greatest Magic (NBC),2008,
310:People's Daily website (7 June 2006).
7:
300:, The Star Malaysia, 14 April 2007.
412:"川剧的绝活中国民间艺术的瑰宝：神秘的"变脸"：南方网社会新闻频道"
14:
469:An example of a performer at work
132:. Bian Lian was also featured on
87:Face-changing, or "bian lian" in
1135:
507:and Chinese narrative traditions
334:"Changing face of face-changing"
401:America's Got Talent, June 2010
267:Koay, Allan (19 January 2009).
332:Lu Chang (25 September 2003).
198:
184:
170:
156:
61:
52:
44:
1:
340:. China Daily. Archived from
217:(similar Western performance)
1298:The Expert at the Card Table
1282:The Discoverie of Witchcraft
368:Unconventional World Records
103:In 2003, Hong Kong pop star
16:Ancient Chinese dramatic art
1314:Thirteen Steps to Mentalism
1527:
146:Four ways of face-changing
119:The World's Greatest Magic
18:
1133:
126:) performed Bian Lian on
1506:Chinese performing arts
1363:Hugard's Magic Monthly
298:Beautiful mask-changer
269:"Ancient art unmasked"
33:
1434:Films about magicians
760:Comedic/Light theater
441:www.chinadaily.com.cn
31:
179:Pulling-down Masks (
165:Beard Manipulation (
129:America's Got Talent
1480:Midnight ghost show
1405:Smoke & Mirrors
933:Revolutionary opera
344:on 25 December 2010
41:traditional Chinese
32:Bian Lian Performer
1511:Culture in Sichuan
1093:Magic and illusion
124:The Magique Bazaar
49:simplified Chinese
34:
1488:
1487:
1059:
1058:
784:Tea-picking opera
779:Flower-drum opera
739:Religious theater
734:
733:
279:on 7 October 2012
273:The Star Malaysia
232:The King of Masks
93:Malaysian Chinese
69:
22:The King of Masks
1518:
1475:Indian magicians
1377:The Linking Ring
1139:
1086:
1079:
1072:
1063:
517:
513:Dramatic theater
498:
491:
484:
475:
452:
451:
449:
447:
433:
427:
426:
424:
422:
416:news.southcn.com
408:
402:
399:
393:
390:
384:
383:
381:
379:
374:on 26 March 2010
370:. Archived from
360:
354:
353:
351:
349:
329:
323:
322:
320:
318:
307:
301:
295:
289:
288:
286:
284:
275:. Archived from
264:
226:Music of Sichuan
200:
186:
172:
158:
70:
67:
63:
54:
46:
1526:
1525:
1521:
1520:
1519:
1517:
1516:
1515:
1491:
1490:
1489:
1484:
1463:
1429:Conjuring terms
1417:
1336:
1269:
1260:Sleight of hand
1237:
1231:
1140:
1131:
1095:
1090:
1060:
1055:
1018:
990:
937:
879:
788:
755:
730:
696:Taiwanese opera
609:Cantonese opera
597:
554:Longjiang opera
508:
502:
460:
455:
445:
443:
435:
434:
430:
420:
418:
410:
409:
405:
400:
396:
391:
387:
377:
375:
362:
361:
357:
347:
345:
331:
330:
326:
316:
314:
309:
308:
304:
296:
292:
282:
280:
266:
265:
256:
252:
211:
193:Face-dragging (
148:
85:
26:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1524:
1522:
1514:
1513:
1508:
1503:
1493:
1492:
1486:
1485:
1483:
1482:
1477:
1471:
1469:
1465:
1464:
1462:
1461:
1456:
1451:
1446:
1441:
1436:
1431:
1425:
1423:
1419:
1418:
1416:
1415:
1408:
1401:
1394:
1387:
1380:
1373:
1366:
1359:
1352:
1344:
1342:
1338:
1337:
1335:
1334:
1326:
1318:
1310:
1306:Tarbell Course
1302:
1294:
1286:
1277:
1275:
1271:
1270:
1268:
1267:
1265:Pepper's ghost
1262:
1257:
1252:
1247:
1241:
1239:
1233:
1232:
1230:
1229:
1224:
1219:
1214:
1209:
1204:
1199:
1194:
1189:
1184:
1182:Close-up magic
1179:
1174:
1164:
1154:
1148:
1146:
1142:
1141:
1134:
1132:
1130:
1129:
1124:
1119:
1114:
1109:
1103:
1101:
1097:
1096:
1091:
1089:
1088:
1081:
1074:
1066:
1057:
1056:
1054:
1053:
1046:
1039:
1032:
1026:
1024:
1023:Related topics
1020:
1019:
1017:
1016:
1009:
1004:
998:
996:
992:
991:
989:
988:
981:
974:
960:
945:
943:
939:
938:
936:
935:
930:
923:
916:
909:
902:
895:
887:
885:
881:
880:
878:
877:
870:
863:
856:
849:
842:
835:
828:
821:
816:
809:
801:
799:
790:
789:
787:
786:
781:
776:
774:Glove puppetry
771:
763:
761:
757:
756:
754:
753:
748:
742:
740:
736:
735:
732:
731:
729:
728:
723:
721:Yangzhou opera
718:
713:
708:
703:
698:
693:
688:
683:
678:
676:Shanghai opera
673:
668:
663:
658:
653:
648:
641:
636:
634:Huangmei opera
631:
626:
621:
616:
611:
605:
603:
599:
598:
596:
595:
590:
583:
578:
573:
568:
561:
556:
551:
544:
539:
534:
529:
523:
521:
514:
510:
509:
503:
501:
500:
493:
486:
478:
472:
471:
466:
459:
458:External links
456:
454:
453:
428:
403:
394:
385:
355:
324:
302:
290:
253:
251:
248:
247:
246:
228:
223:
218:
210:
207:
206:
205:
202:
191:
188:
177:
174:
163:
160:
151:Blowing Dust (
147:
144:
84:
81:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1523:
1512:
1509:
1507:
1504:
1502:
1501:Sichuan opera
1499:
1498:
1496:
1481:
1478:
1476:
1473:
1472:
1470:
1466:
1460:
1457:
1455:
1452:
1450:
1447:
1445:
1442:
1440:
1437:
1435:
1432:
1430:
1427:
1426:
1424:
1420:
1414:
1413:
1409:
1407:
1406:
1402:
1400:
1399:
1395:
1393:
1392:
1388:
1386:
1385:
1381:
1379:
1378:
1374:
1372:
1371:
1367:
1365:
1364:
1360:
1358:
1357:
1353:
1351:
1350:
1346:
1345:
1343:
1339:
1332:
1331:
1327:
1324:
1323:
1319:
1316:
1315:
1311:
1308:
1307:
1303:
1300:
1299:
1295:
1292:
1291:
1287:
1284:
1283:
1279:
1278:
1276:
1272:
1266:
1263:
1261:
1258:
1256:
1253:
1251:
1248:
1246:
1243:
1242:
1240:
1234:
1228:
1225:
1223:
1220:
1218:
1215:
1213:
1210:
1208:
1205:
1203:
1200:
1198:
1195:
1193:
1190:
1188:
1185:
1183:
1180:
1178:
1175:
1172:
1168:
1165:
1162:
1158:
1155:
1153:
1150:
1149:
1147:
1143:
1138:
1128:
1125:
1123:
1120:
1118:
1115:
1113:
1110:
1108:
1105:
1104:
1102:
1098:
1094:
1087:
1082:
1080:
1075:
1073:
1068:
1067:
1064:
1052:
1051:
1047:
1045:
1044:
1040:
1038:
1037:
1033:
1031:
1028:
1027:
1025:
1021:
1015:
1014:
1010:
1008:
1007:Water sleeves
1005:
1003:
1000:
999:
997:
993:
987:
986:
982:
980:
979:
975:
972:
971:
966:
965:
961:
958:
957:
952:
951:
947:
946:
944:
940:
934:
931:
929:
928:
924:
922:
921:
917:
915:
914:
910:
908:
907:
903:
901:
900:
896:
894:
893:
889:
888:
886:
882:
876:
875:
871:
869:
868:
864:
862:
861:
857:
855:
854:
850:
848:
847:
843:
841:
840:
836:
834:
833:
829:
827:
826:
822:
820:
817:
815:
814:
810:
808:
807:
803:
802:
800:
797:
796:
791:
785:
782:
780:
777:
775:
772:
770:
769:
765:
764:
762:
758:
752:
749:
747:
744:
743:
741:
737:
727:
724:
722:
719:
717:
714:
712:
709:
707:
704:
702:
701:Teochew opera
699:
697:
694:
692:
689:
687:
686:Sichuan opera
684:
682:
679:
677:
674:
672:
669:
667:
664:
662:
659:
657:
654:
652:
649:
647:
646:
642:
640:
637:
635:
632:
630:
627:
625:
622:
620:
617:
615:
612:
610:
607:
606:
604:
600:
594:
591:
589:
588:
584:
582:
579:
577:
574:
572:
569:
567:
566:
562:
560:
557:
555:
552:
550:
549:
545:
543:
540:
538:
537:Huaihai opera
535:
533:
530:
528:
525:
524:
522:
518:
515:
511:
506:
505:Chinese opera
499:
494:
492:
487:
485:
480:
479:
476:
470:
467:
465:
462:
461:
457:
442:
438:
432:
429:
417:
413:
407:
404:
398:
395:
389:
386:
373:
369:
365:
359:
356:
343:
339:
338:Shanghai Star
335:
328:
325:
313:
306:
303:
299:
294:
291:
278:
274:
270:
263:
261:
259:
255:
249:
245:
241:
238:
234:
233:
229:
227:
224:
222:
221:Sichuan opera
219:
216:
213:
212:
208:
203:
196:
192:
189:
182:
178:
175:
168:
164:
161:
154:
150:
149:
145:
143:
139:
137:
136:
131:
130:
125:
121:
120:
116:performed on
115:
109:
106:
101:
97:
94:
90:
82:
80:
78:
74:
73:Sichuan opera
64:
58:
50:
42:
38:
30:
24:
23:
1449:Publications
1410:
1403:
1396:
1389:
1382:
1375:
1368:
1361:
1354:
1347:
1328:
1320:
1312:
1304:
1296:
1290:Modern Magic
1288:
1280:
1255:Misdirection
1250:Equivocation
1049:
1048:
1041:
1034:
1011:
984:
977:
968:
963:
954:
949:
925:
918:
911:
904:
897:
890:
872:
865:
858:
851:
844:
837:
830:
823:
811:
804:
793:
766:
746:Ritual opera
706:Tongzi opera
691:Suzhou opera
671:Puxian opera
651:Liyuan opera
643:
614:Gaojia opera
593:Shanxi opera
585:
571:Peking opera
563:
546:
527:Hebei bangzi
444:. Retrieved
440:
431:
419:. Retrieved
415:
406:
397:
388:
376:. Retrieved
372:the original
367:
358:
346:. Retrieved
342:the original
337:
327:
315:. Retrieved
305:
293:
281:. Retrieved
277:the original
272:
242:directed by
240:Chinese film
230:
215:Quick-change
140:
133:
127:
123:
117:
114:Juliana Chen
110:
102:
98:
86:
60:
36:
35:
21:
1349:Abracadabra
1341:Periodicals
1117:Conventions
1030:Pear Garden
819:Flower Drum
798:(narrative)
624:Hakka opera
542:Jilin opera
532:Henan opera
378:11 February
244:Wu Tianming
1495:Categories
1412:The Sphinx
1274:Guidebooks
1245:Levitation
1238:techniques
1236:Tricks and
1202:Mathemagic
1192:Escapology
1177:Children's
1161:techniques
1107:Assistants
1036:Shengqiang
942:Role types
884:Historical
874:Xiangsheng
832:Kuaibanshu
813:Errenzhuan
716:Wuxi opera
681:Shao opera
629:Huai opera
576:Ping opera
348:8 February
250:References
1439:Magicians
1330:Conjuring
1167:Cardistry
1050:Bian lian
956:Xiaosheng
860:Shulaibao
751:Nuo opera
726:Yue opera
661:Min opera
639:Hui opera
619:Han opera
62:Biàn Liǎn
37:Bian Lian
1454:Timeline
1391:Magigram
1370:The Jinx
1212:Platform
1122:Exposure
1002:Costumes
995:Costumes
892:Canjunxi
768:Errentai
711:Wu opera
666:Ou opera
656:Lu opera
602:Southern
587:Qinqiang
581:Pu opera
565:Maoqiang
559:Lü opera
548:Liuqiang
520:Northern
317:20 April
283:30 April
209:See also
105:Andy Lau
1468:Related
1444:Museums
1398:Mahatma
1309:(1928–)
1171:history
1152:Bizarre
1100:General
927:Zidishu
920:Chuanqi
899:Yuanben
853:Pingtan
846:Pingshu
839:Naamyam
446:Sep 14,
421:Sep 14,
195:Chinese
181:Chinese
167:Chinese
153:Chinese
89:Chinese
83:History
1459:Tricks
1333:(1992)
1325:(1975)
1317:(1961)
1301:(1902)
1293:(1876)
1285:(1584)
1227:Street
1217:Séance
1207:Mental
1197:Gospel
1145:Genres
1127:Stores
1043:Yunbai
1013:Lingzi
197::
183::
169::
155::
59::
57:pinyin
51::
43::
1422:Lists
1384:Magic
1356:Genii
1222:Stage
1112:Clubs
970:Wudan
950:Sheng
906:Nanxi
867:Tanci
806:Baiju
645:Kunqu
77:masks
1187:Coin
1157:Card
985:Chou
978:Jing
913:Zaju
825:Guci
795:Quyi
448:2019
423:2019
380:2010
350:2011
319:2011
285:2013
237:1996
235:, a
171:髯口功夫
68:lit.
964:Dan
1497::
439:.
414:.
366:.
336:.
271:.
257:^
199:抹臉
185:扯臉
157:吹臉
138:.
65:;
55:;
53:变脸
47:;
45:變臉
1173:)
1169:(
1163:)
1159:(
1085:e
1078:t
1071:v
973:)
967:(
959:)
953:(
497:e
490:t
483:v
450:.
425:.
382:.
352:.
321:.
287:.
201:)
187:)
173:)
159:)
39:(
25:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
