Shanbanqiao Cultural Living Hall Introduction
Walking into the Shanbanqiao Face Mask Cultural Life Museum, you can see a face mask representing the "Five Paths of Wealth" at the entrance. With its colorful design symbolizing good fortune, it stands out remarkably in the serene mountains, inviting visitors to explore the museum further. The wood carving industry in Sanyi is quite developed, with numerous wood carving factories, and Shanbanqiao originally began as a wood carving studio. The museum's owners, both formerly involved in wood carving, focused on crafting practical art pieces such as flat wood carvings, screens, tables, chairs, and tea trays. However, as the entire social and economic structure changed, the wood carving industry gradually declined, prompting the owners to reconsider the direction of their studio. Initially, they transformed the studio into a farm focused on wood carving teaching, and due to their strong interest in Beijing opera face masks, they used face masks as teaching materials to instruct beginners in basic carving techniques. However, the use of sharp carving knives posed dangers for untrained novices, leading to the design of face mask painting activities, gradually making Shanbanqiao a place centered around face mask art and evolving into a venue suitable for public and family-friendly painting activities. Inside the cultural museum, there are several areas, including a cultural history section introducing Sanyi's local history, a wood carving face mask display area, and a wood experience zone where visitors can learn through hands-on experiences. The most eye-catching feature is the wall exhibiting thousands of traditional Chinese opera face masks. These pieces are the hard work of the museum owner's family, and upon careful observation, one can discern the unique shapes and finely detailed designs of each face mask, which express the personalities and spirits of various characters through colors and lines. With a clear theme, Shanbanqiao successfully promotes face mask and wood carving art, allowing people to reappreciate these cultures through engaging methods, thereby achieving sustainable heritage transmission. There are two theories regarding the origin of face masks: one suggests that fierce masks were used to represent the terrifying demons during ancient rituals, while the other claims that the masked dances in entertainment programs from the Southern and Northern Dynasties and the Sui and Tang Dynasties were the precursors to face masks. Regardless of the origin, wearing masks made it difficult for performers to convey their emotions and expressions, leading artists to paint their faces directly with powder and oil paint, forming what we now recognize as face masks. Initially, to help audiences farther from the stage clearly see performers' facial expressions, early face masks emphasized facial features, skin tones, and contours using only black, red, and white colors. With the development of theatrical arts, the patterns and colors of face masks became increasingly rich, and by the late 18th to early 19th century, a complete makeup style based on Beijing opera face masks had evolved, with colors gradually developing symbolic meanings. In the color scheme, red represents loyalty, such as that of Guan Yu; black signifies uprightness, like Bao Zheng; purple symbolizes wisdom and bravery, as in Jing Ke; white hints at a character's treachery, as in Cao Cao; blue conveys strength and fierceness, as in Lu Meng; green represents boldness and aggression, like Cheng Yaojin; yellow indicates insidiousness and cruelty, as in Pang Juan; while gold and silver are often used for gods, Buddhas, and monsters, symbolizing the ethereal. Understanding the significance of these colors can enhance the enjoyment of appreciating face masks.
