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Facial Makeup in Peking Opera
Peking Opera uses different colours in facial make-up to exaggerate or distort a performers' features, but originally, only three colours were used -- red, white and black - each with its own symbolic meaning....
Peking Opera uses different colours in facial make-up to exaggerate or distort a performers' features, but originally, only three colours were used -- red, white and black - each with its own symbolic meaning. Red is the colour of loyalty, integrity and courage; black suggests a serious and taciturn disposition, including with it strength and roughness; white reveals a crafty and suspicious character. Later, other colours were gradually incorporated, such as purple -- a symbol of solemnity, serenity and a sense of justice; yellow, representing intelligence and calculation or bravery when used in warrior roles; blue shows uprightness and stubbornness; green indicates bravery and irascibility; and gold and silver are sometimes used on the faces of immortals, demons and monsters. Different colours also distinguish nobility from the common folk, goodness from evil or loyalty from treachery.
Story
Of the four roles of Peking Opera -- sheng, dan, jing and chou, only the jing and chou roles have elaborate facial make-up. There are relatively few make-up patterns for a chou role -- the most common being a white nose for comic effect. The make-up pattern of jing-role patterns are much more complicated and varied, they include the "whole-face," "three-tile face," "quartered face," "six-division face," "tiny-flowered face" and "lopsided face." Each pattern is rooted in its ability to reflect subtle and interesting changes in a human facial expressions, and each pattern has its own symbolic meaning. In the case of Meng Liang, a warrior of the Song Dynasty, Red was the main colour of his facial make-up. On his forehead is the pattern of an inverted hulu (or gourd). This pattern represents a particular weapon called huohulu (or "gourd containing fire lighter") he uses.
Although facial make-up is extremely stylized in terms of colours and patterns used, no two painted faces are alike. For instance, there are more than 100 face-painting styles designed for Xiang Yu, the hero of Farewell My Concubine, and each one is very different.

Kong Zhu
Diabolos include the double round diabolo, single round diabolo, double roller diabolo, double round multi-layered diabolo and irregular diabolo. Products in Guanganmen diabolo store are all handmade with skillful techniques and a unique methods....
Diabolos include the double round diabolo, single round diabolo, double roller diabolo, double round multi-layered diabolo and irregular diabolo. Products in Guanganmen diabolo store are all handmade with skillful techniques and a unique methods. Diabolo play integrates entertainment, games, fitness, and performance. The well-know methods of playing diabolo total over a hundred, and there are many other tricks.
Story
The diabolo has a long history; it originated from the folk culture of the Ming and Qing Dynasty and was an important part of temple fairs. When children asked for a diabolo, there would be ringing sounds in the hutong. It is part of people’s everyday life, and an important part of hutong culture.

Kites
Weifang City of Shandong Province is widely regarded as "the world's capital of kites". The most famous kites of Weifang are Longting (Dragon Pavilion) and Julong (Giant Dragon) kites. In Kaifeng, there's an age-old custom which is popular to this day....
Weifang City of Shandong Province is widely regarded as "the world's capital of kites". The most famous kites of Weifang are Longting (Dragon Pavilion) and Julong (Giant Dragon) kites. In Kaifeng, there's an age-old custom which is popular to this day. During Qingming Festival, people fly kites as high and far as possible, then deliberately cut the line, allowing the kites to drift in the sky with the wind. This is a symbol of letting go the unhappiness and sadness accumulated in the previous year, which is believed to keep illnesses at bay throughout the rest of the year. In addition, a kite is a carrier of hope. If a fish is drawn on a swallow-shaped kite, it has a hidden meaning of being "a wish for surplus each year", because the word "fish" is a homonym of "surplus" in Chinese. If bats, peaches, pine trees and cranes are painted on a kite, it means fortune, wealth and longevity.
In ancient times, apart from being a source of entertainment, a kite could also be used for military purposes, used for activities such as measuring distances, transmitting information and traversing dangerous locations etc. In 190 BC, when the war between the Chu and Han peoples was underway, the Han general Han Xin used a kite to measure the length of the tunnel under the Weiyang Palace when he launched an attack against the palace. During the Battle of Gaixia, when Xiang Yu's troops were encircled by Liu Bang's troops, Han Xin ordered the making of a cowhide kite, with a bamboo flute attached to it. When the kite was flown in the wind, the Han army sang some Chu songs with the flute, breaking up the Chu army's morale. The Han army won the battle in the end. This was the origin of the Chinese idiom "Simian Chuge" (literally meaning "Chu songs all around", it's a phrase that means "under attack from all directions").
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Top Beijing Tours

Shicha Hai
Shichahai is a famous scenic area that includes three lakes (Qian Hai, meaning Front Sea; Hou Hai, meaning Back Sea and Xi Hai, meaning Western Sea), surrounding places of historic interest and scenic beauty, and remnants of old-style Beijing residences, Hutong and Courtyard. It is located in the northwest part of Beijing, and covers a large area of 146.7 hectares (about 363 acres). We can take a walk along the lake and have a cup of hot coffee after some strolling.
...Read moreShichahai is a famous scenic area that includes three lakes (Qian Hai, meaning Front Sea; Hou Hai, meaning Back Sea and Xi Hai, meaning Western Sea), surrounding places of historic interest and scenic beauty, and remnants of old-style Beijing residences, Hutong and Courtyard. It is located in the northwest part of Beijing, and covers a large area of 146.7 hectares (about 363 acres). We can take a walk along the lake and have a cup of hot coffee after some strolling.
The greatest point of interest in Shichahai today is its residences, Hutong and Courtyard. In and around Beijing City, Shichahai is one of the best places to view well-preserved Hutongs and courtyards.
Hope you can enjoy!!

Private Beijing Antique Shopping Tour with Lunch

One day tirp to Bajiao Zhai, a noticeable Danxia Landform.
This is a tailor-made trip for nature-lovers and fans of photography. Danxia rock formation in the inland basin is a red rock debris, and later uplift due to the movement of the earth-crust, erosion of rocks by the water and weathering, which was dominant in the hillside to collapse back, kept down the rocks to form the red mountain block. This area was listed in the Natural Heritage of the world in 2009 by UNESCO. Bajiao Zhai Village is a combination of strategic place, steepy mountian, elegant scenery and secluded remote....Read more
This is a tailor-made trip for nature-lovers and fans of photography. Danxia rock formation in the inland basin is a red rock debris, and later uplift due to the movement of the earth-crust, erosion of rocks by the water and weathering, which was dominant in the hillside to collapse back, kept down the rocks to form the red mountain block. This area was listed in the Natural Heritage of the world in 2009 by UNESCO. Bajiao Zhai Village is a combination of strategic place, steepy mountian, elegant scenery and secluded remote. It is reputed as the "Soul of Danxia Landform". Here you can enjoy the sunrise or sunset and the sea-cloud. 1. I'll pick you up at 8:00 am in your hotel, and transfer to Bajiao Zhai Village by our private van. On the way, you can enjoy some terraced fields, bamboo groves and the wooden residences of the natives.(3.5 hours by ride) 2. First, we'll visit the village and have lunch in the village, and then we'll hike the mountains, the scenery including the group of snails looking up the sky, the ancient trail, Eye-stone, Joss stick of dragon's head and the Treasured sword Peak.(4 hours by hike) 3. After appreciating the sunset, after dinner in Ziyuan county, we'll take the bus back to your hotel around 10:00 pm.