36 Types of Beijing Opera Masks - 11

Su Xian - Old Pink Six-Tenth Face

Six-Tenth Face

This facial makeup, also developed from the full face, is so called because the principal color symbolizing the nature of the character occupies about six tenths of the face, On the forehead, the principal color is applied only on the narrow strip in the center. The rest of the forehead is taken up enlarging white eyebrows, which occupy about four tenths of the face. Also called and old face, this makeup represents an old and loyal general who has ably served his cause. The principal color may be red, black, or purple, set off by a long, full showy white or dark gray beard. Su Xian's makeup in the opera "Capture of Luoyang" and Huang Gai's in the opera "A Meeting of the Elite" are examples.