36 Types of Beijing Opera Masks - 3

Cao Cao 93 - White Full Face

Full Face

This is a very common type of painted face, so-called presumably because more than any other types it resembles a full human face with all of its natural features. The first step is to apply a coat of paint over the entire face to serve as the principal color and to exaggerate the natural complexion. Next, the eyes, brows, nose, mouth, and tiny lines in Chinese painting, using precise, steady, and vigorous strokes.

A white powered full face with ears, eyes, nose, mouth and facial expressions delineated in black symbolizes a detestable character -- a traitor, tyrant, or despot. An example of this is Cao Cao's makeup in "Meeting of the Elite," in which he is portrayed as a duel personality; suspicious, deceitful, and scheming on the one hand and a very capable militarily and political on the other. The prime features of his makeup are a layer of white power that symbolically mask the evil side of the man's nature and long, thin three-corner eyes with lines at the corners that represent craftiness.