272 Beijing Opera Masks - Niu Miao - Number 17

Niu Miao

Beijing Opera - "Flying-Fork Formation"

Niu Miao with a green broken-flower face played a character in the opera "Flying-Fork Formation," adapted from an episode in Popular Romance of the Eastern Han. One of Wang Mang's top generals, he created the powerful flying fork battle formation that was invincible for a time. Ultimately, it was crushed by Ma Yuan, supreme commander of the Eastern Han armies.