Introduction Of Chengdu City

　Chengdu is one of the cradles of Sichuan opera, which is the most representative opera in Sichuan area and also existent in other areas like Chongqing, Guizhou, Yunnan, Hubei and Taiwan provinces. Sichuan opera enjoys a long history. As early as in Three Kingdom dynasty, there was "Canjun opera". In Tang dynasty, a band of five came into being in Chengdu. In Song dynasty, the opera developed into Tsa-chu. In Ming dynasty, artist of Sichuan opera performed the skill in Jinling (now Nanjing). During the period of Yongzheng and Qianlong in Qing dynasty, as the "Huabu" drama propered, Kunqu, Yiyang aria, Bangzi aria and Pihuang aria merged with local languages, folk customs, ditties, yang-kos and Dengdiaos in Sichuan as they moved into the place. At the end of Qing dynasty, Sichuan opera was played from temple fairs, halls and yard to urban theaters. In 1910s, Chengdu Sanqing Opera Association combined five melodic forms that include Gaoqiang, Kunqiang, Huqing voice, Tanxi and Dengdiao. The melodic system is largely Gaoqiang. Yuelai Teahouse became then the gathering place for Sichuan opera, and Yue Chun was acclaimed as the "opera cream" and Kang Zhilin "the opera saint". With a repertoire of thousands of plays, Sichuan opera is said to have "3000 Tang stories, 800 Song tales and endless Three Kingdom anecdotes". Being famous for its comedies in particular, Sichuan opera is delicate and vivid in acting, varied in performing, strongly local-flavored and humorous. The traditional performing formula is quite systematic in that it combines the stunts like face-changing, Tihuiyan, sword-hiding, fire-spitting and beard-changing with the plot and different characters, highlighting the romanticism of opera in a magical and exaggerated manner. The application of gongs and drums in Sichuan opera is also very different: the pitch is high, while the voice is resonant and primitive. In recent years, a great number of excellent traditional plays and stunts are created in Chengdu, like Hibiscus Fairy, Good Man from Sichuan, Shangangye, Haojunmei and Princess Wencheng, all of which invariably won the national prize. And Plum Blossom Prize winners like Xiao Ting, Liu Yun, Chen Qiaoru, Liu Ping and Sun Yongbo have emerged. In addition, Sichuan opera fans in Chengdu are very active, and shows by private organizations and fans are widely propagated in both rural and urban areas. And the Association of Sichuan Opera Fans is established and plays an important role in the cultural dimension.

　Sichuan opera is noted for its pitched tune accompanied only by percussion and chorus without any wind or string instruments. It also built a system of stylized movements and its acting is both exquisite and vivid. In order to portray special characters, it creates a series of stunts including the face-changing the performer changing it suddenly on the stage. Most of the programmers in the wide repertoire of the Sichuan opera are adapted from the Chinese classical novel, mythology, legend and folk tale. Besides, the performance is always full of wit, humor, lively dialogue and pronounced local flavor. The Sichuan opera has also built a system of stylized movements and its acting is both exquisite and vivid. In order to portray special characters, it creates a series of stunts including the "face-changing." In Chinese opera, facial makeup is usually painted, but in Sichuan opera, the performer can change it suddenly on the stage. Therefore, it makes the audience exclaim with admiration.

　The performer has to make many special masks in advance, which are made of gauzy and elastic material, such as the membrane of the sheep's embryo, the rubber similar to that of a balloon. After being painted with different patterns of the face and covered with a kind of transparent and hardly visible thread, the special masks will be pasted onto the face of the performer, who is ready to perform on the stage. The performer needs to be insulated for makeup before every performance and it merely takes fifteen minutes for the makeup to be applied. The special masks for the 'Face off' must be made in accordance with the face of the performer to ensure the effect of being pasted closely on the face of the performer. Previously, the special masks were abandoned after the performance, but now they can be recycled after being meliorated.