Chinese opera has a history dating some 2,000 years. There are 317types of opera, of which Peking opera is the most important andwell-known. The practitioner of Peking opera is a master athlete – hemust be in top physical shape to accommodate the rigors of thisperformance art. Most performers begin their training from childhood. Awell-known example is Kungfu star Jacky Chan, who started training inPeking opera as a child. Performers wear extensive makeup; their wholefaces are painted in bright colors. Colorful masks,inspired fromancient ceremonies and religious symbols,  are done by the actors. Thecolor of each character's face is significant as it represents thecharacter's personality and fate.

Understanding the colors will greatly enhance your enjoyment of the opera as it is an intricate part of the story.  Red faces represent righteousness; black denotes gallantry and heroism; blue and green signify brawn (not necessarily with brains!) or those held in high regard by commoners; yellow and white are negative colors, often meaning cunning or a tendency to be suspicious; gold denotes deities and silver is reserved for demons or bad spirits.The make-up style indicates if a character is good or evil.