用英语讲中国文化：川剧变脸「 Face - Changing in Sichuan Opera」

Face - changing in Sichuan opera is a unique and fascinating art form, deeply rooted in the rich cultural heritage of Sichuan, China. As an essential element of Sichuan opera, it vividly demonstrates the profound charm of traditional Chinese performing arts. This distinctive skill not only enriches the expressiveness of the opera but also attracts a large number of audiences both at home and abroad.

川剧变脸是一种独特且引人入胜的艺术形式，深深扎根于中国四川丰富的文化遗产之中。作为川剧的重要组成部分，它生动地展现了中国传统表演艺术的深厚魅力。这项独特的技艺不仅丰富了川剧的表现力，还吸引了大量国内外观众。

The origin of face - changing can be traced back to ancient times. In ancient Sichuan, people painted their faces with various colors to frighten away wild beasts. Later, Sichuan opera artists introduced this face - painting technique onto the stage, gradually evolving it into the unique art of face - changing.

变脸的起源可以追溯到古代。在古代四川，人们用各种颜色涂抹脸部以吓退野兽。后来，川剧艺术家将这种脸部彩绘技巧引入舞台，逐渐将其发展成为独特的变脸艺术。

Over time, the art of face - changing has continuously evolved. During the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China, Sichuan opera witnessed a prosperous period. Many outstanding artists emerged, and they made remarkable contributions to the development of face - changing. For instance, in the play Guizhenglou, the character Bei Rong used face - changing to outwit the chasing officers and soldiers. Initially, paper masks were used for face - changing. Later, artists like Cao Junchen and Kang Zilin made improvements, making the face - changing technique more sophisticated.

随着时间的推移，变脸艺术不断发展演变。在清末民初时期，川剧迎来了繁荣阶段。许多杰出的艺术家涌现出来，他们为变脸艺术的发展做出了卓越贡献。例如，在《归正楼》这出戏中，角色贝戎运用变脸技巧巧妙地摆脱了追捕的官兵。最初，人们使用纸面具进行变脸。后来，像曹俊臣和康子林等艺术家进行了改进，使变脸技巧更加精湛。

Face - changing in Sichuan opera can be classified into several types. Whole - face change involves the entire face changing, either by altering the makeup or the color. For example, in Zhizhongshan, Yue Yangzi changes from a black face to a white face. Partial - face change only modifies a part of the face. Techniques like “wiping violent eyes” and “changing half - face” fall into this category. Mask change uses masks made of various materials, such as wood, paper, and silk. And skill - based change relies on the actors’ oral, hand, and leg skills to complete the face - changing process.

川剧变脸可分为几种类型。整脸变是指整个脸部发生变化，可能是改变妆容或颜色。例如，在《治中山》中，乐羊子从黑脸变成白脸。局部变只改变脸部的一部分。像 “拭暴眼” 和 “变半脸” 等技巧就属于这一类。面具变使用由木材、纸张、丝绸等各种材料制成的面具。而技巧变则依靠演员的口技、手技和腿技来完成变脸过程 。

There are mainly four methods of face - changing: wiping face, blowing face, pulling face, and face - changing by qi - control.

变脸方法主要有四种：抹脸、吹脸、扯脸和运气变脸。

Wiping Face（抹脸）

Wiping face is relatively simple. The actor pre - applies greasepaint to specific areas on the face. During the performance, by turning around, lowering the head, or using a cape to cover, the actor wipes the face to change its color. Characters like Xu Xian in The Legend of the White Snake use this method.

抹脸相对简单。演员事先将油彩涂抹在脸部特定区域。在表演过程中，通过转身、低头或用披风遮挡，演员擦拭脸部以改变颜色。《白蛇传》中的许仙等角色就使用这种方法。

Blowing Face（吹脸）

Blowing face requires a small box filled with powder placed on the stage. When the actor approaches the box and blows, the powder flies onto the face, changing its color. This method is often used in plays where the character needs to show a sudden change in emotion.

吹脸需要在舞台上放置一个装满粉末的小盒子。当演员靠近盒子吹气时，粉末飞到脸上，从而改变脸色。这种方法常用于角色需要突然展现情绪变化的剧目。

Pulling Face（扯脸）

Pulling face is the most complex and widely - known method. The actor attaches multiple layers of facial makeup to the face with strings. By pulling the strings, the actor can change the facial makeup one by one. Liu Zhongyi, a famous Sichuan opera artist, perfected this technique.

扯脸是最复杂且最为人所知的方法。演员用丝线将多层脸谱贴在脸上。通过拉动丝线，演员可以逐一更换脸谱。著名川剧艺术家刘忠义完善了这一技巧。

Face - Changing by Qi - control（运气变脸）

Face - changing by qi - control is a highly challenging method. The actor uses internal energy to change the color of the face. Although it is rarely seen, it showcases the extraordinary skills of Sichuan opera actors.

运气变脸是一种极具挑战性的方法。演员运用内力改变脸部颜色。尽管这种方法很少见，但它展示了川剧演员的非凡技艺。

Face - changing in Sichuan opera is not just a performing skill; it is also an important carrier of traditional Chinese culture. It reflects the wisdom and creativity of the Chinese people and plays a crucial role in the inheritance and development of traditional culture.

川剧变脸不仅是一种表演技巧，更是中国传统文化的重要载体。它反映了中国人民的智慧和创造力，在传统文化的传承和发展中发挥着至关重要的作用。

A. To make people look more beautiful.

B. To frighten away wild beasts.

C. To celebrate festivals.

D. To perform on the stage.

A. Zhizhongshan

B. Fang Pei

C. Guizhenglou

D. Sha Xi

A. Wiping face

B. Blowing face

C. Pulling face

D. Face - changing by qi - control

A. Paper

B. Cloth

C. Silk

D. Rubber

A. It is a simple performing skill.

B. It helps actors earn more money.

C. It is a carrier of traditional Chinese culture.

D. It makes the opera more mysterious.

Explanation: The passage clearly states that “In ancient Sichuan, people painted their faces with various colors to frighten away wild beasts.” Options A, C, and D are not mentioned as the original purpose of face - painting in ancient Sichuan.

Explanation: The passage mentions that “Later, the face - changing in Guizhenglou was cited by artists in plays such as The Masked Hero, The Eight Diagrams Formation, The Legend of the White Snake, and Flying Cloud Sword. Among them, The Legend of the White Snake had one of the greatest influences on face - changing in Sichuan opera, and the face - changing in Guizhenglou served as an important reference.” Options A, B, and D did not have as significant an influence on the development of face - changing as Guizhenglou.

Explanation: The passage indicates that “Face - changing by qi - control is a highly challenging method. The actor uses internal energy to change the color of the face.” Options A, B, and C do not involve the use of internal energy.

Explanation: The passage says “Liu Zhongyi, a martial artist actor of the Sichuan Provincial Sichuan Opera Theater, improved the material for face - changing on the basis of his predecessors. He replaced cloth with silk and developed and perfected the ‘pull - face’ technique.” Options A, B, and D are incorrect as they do not match the information in the passage.

Explanation: The passage states that “Face - changing in Sichuan opera is not just a performing skill; it is also an important carrier of traditional Chinese culture.” Options A, B, and D do not accurately describe the significance of face - changing as stated in the passage.