About Mask Changing
A mask changer dressed in the elaborately designed
costume, a colourful mask on his face which is topped by a beautiful head gear & shoes. He then steps off the stage and walks amongst the audience.
He stops in front of an audience, shakes his
hand and points to his own face. He turns his face away for a split second, and
the mask has changed.
How does he do it?
Well, that’s a secret, and a well-kept one for the last three centuries since the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).
In China, it is still considered a high-level
secret, and some even consider it a national treasure. It is said that there
are only about 200 true masters of the art in China. But today, mask-changing
artistes can be found even in Malaysia and Singapore...
It is still being debated in China today,
whether the art of mask-changing, or bian lian,
should be taught to “outsiders”. Some years ago, Hong Kong superstar Andy Lau
caused an uproar when it was alleged that he wanted to pay master Peng Deng Huai
US$360,000 for lessons in mask-changing. Lau did eventually learn the art from
Peng, but both have denied that any exchange of money took place.
The secret art is normally passed down from
one generation to another within families. My sifu was taught by his
grandfather when he was 11. He remembers being holed up in a small, dark room
for lessons, because his grandfather was afraid people might try to peep into
the room. When his grandfather was teaching him, even his grandmother didn’t know
about it. That’s how big a secret it was.
He comes from a family of performers, a
lineage that goes back to the famous Sichuan opera from which mask-changing
originated. He says his great-grandfather was a Sichuan opera performer, while
his grandfather was a magician. Somewhere along the way the two arts merged.
Everybody’s
mask changing technique is different, thus each has their own style.
Mask changing, like any other performance of
illusion, involves distractions and sleight-of-hand. The body movements of the
performer have their functions, and every move has to be memorised and
practised. Everything is directly linked to the act of mask-changing, down to
the costume, headgear & shoes as well.
In China, it is up to the masters whether they
want to teach anyone or not. If they wish to teach, then they would. Otherwise,
no matter how much money you offer them, they would not share their secret.
Most of the costumes are elaborated with
hand-sewn designs & patterns therefore it could cost a bomb. Mask-changing
isn’t just about changing masks; it’s about how interesting the overall
performance is, how a mask-changer moves and acts on stage - creating
excitement, suspense and fun.
