Face-painting –The make-up that the Beijing Opera puts on the actor's face also has a special characteristic for displaying the character of the specific role. Using particular colors on the actor's face to symbolize their character and quality, role and destiny is not only the major characteristic of Beijing Opera, but also the key to understand the opera's plot.

Beijing Opera Make-up

The colour of the paint on the actors’ face gives you a clue to his or her character:

Red stands for loyalty and general goodness (and hence is virtually the national colour of China).

Black stands for wisdom and bravery.

Gold and silver represent the supernatural.

Yellow and white represent cunning and treachery

Green and blue a rebellious streak, pride, cruelty or lack of self control (the typical rebel against the Dynasty).

The proportion of the face covered in that colour indicates the degree to which they embody that characteristic.

Like many other parts of Beijing Opera, make-up is determined by convention, a Beijing Opera buff can probably tell a character from their make-up.