![]() ![]() Bian Lian was only passed on from father to son or master to apprentice, and girls weren’t allowed to learn the art for fear they would marry into another family and give away the secret. From the beginning, the art was surrounded by mystery, as no one would reveal their trade secrets. ![]() They would go back stage and change their masks, but as time went by, people’s expectations grew, and they were forced to improve their technique. Another legend tells of a people’s hero, a Chinese version of Robin Hood who stole from the rich and gave to the poor, who whenever cornered by guards would change his appearance to confuse them and escape.ĭuring the early years of Bian Lian as an art form used in Sichuan opera performances, face changers were nowhere near as skilled as they are nowadays. People painted all kinds of designs on their faces to frighten wild animals, but as time went by it became a dramatic art performed on stage. It is said Bian Lian actually started out as a survival technique. The secret of how they manage to change from three to twenty masks during a single performance without anyone realizing the trick has fascinated people since it started being practiced, during the Qing dynasty, around 300 years ago. ![]() Performers gracefully raise their hands, turn their heads and swing their arms, each time boasting a new mask. The skill and speed with which Chinese artists change their beautifully-painted masks has captured audiences’ imagination for centuries. ![]()
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