The ''Chou'' is the clown role in

Chinese opera Traditional Chinese opera (), or ''Xiqu'', is a form of musical theatre in China with roots going back to the early periods in China. It is an amalgamation of various art forms that existed in ancient China, and evolved gradually over more tha ...

. The usually plays secondary roles in a troupe.

Peking opera

Most studies of

Peking opera Peking opera, or Beijing opera (), is the most dominant form of Chinese opera, which combines music, vocal performance, mime, dance and acrobatics. It arose in Beijing in the mid-Qing dynasty (1644–1912) and became fully developed and recognize ...

classify the as a minor role. roles can be divided into (文丑), civilian roles such as merchants and jailers, and (武丑), minor military roles. The is one of the most demanding in Peking opera, because of its combination of comic acting, acrobatics, and a strong voice. characters are generally amusing and likable, if a bit foolish. Their costumes range from simple for characters of lower status to elaborate, perhaps overly so, for high status characters. characters wear special face paint, called , that differs from that of characters. The defining characteristic of this type of face paint is a small patch of white chalk around the nose. This can represent either a mean and secretive nature or a quick wit. Originally, there were five roles in Beijing opera, but the last role "Mo" became a part of "Chou". Beneath the whimsical persona of the , a serious connection to the form of Peking opera exists. The is the character most connected to the , the drums and clapper commonly used for musical accompaniment during performances. The actor often uses the in solo performance, especially when performing , light-hearted verses spoken for comedic effect. The clown is also connected to the small

gong A gongFrom Indonesian and ms, gong; jv, ꦒꦺꦴꦁ ; zh, c=鑼, p=luó; ja, , dora; km, គង ; th, ฆ้อง ; vi, cồng chiêng; as, কাঁহ is a percussion instrument originating in East Asia and Southeast Asia. Gongs ...

and cymbals, percussion instruments that symbolize the lower classes and the raucous atmosphere inspired by the role. Although characters do not sing frequently, their arias feature large amounts of improvisation. This is considered a license of the role, and the orchestra will accompany the actor even as he bursts into an unscripted folk song. However, due to the standardization of Peking opera and political pressure from government authorities, improvisation has lessened in recent years. The has a vocal timbre that is distinct from other characters, as the character will often speak in the common

Beijing dialect The Beijing dialect (), also known as Pekingese and Beijingese, is the prestige dialect of Mandarin spoken in the urban area of Beijing, China. It is the phonological basis of Standard Chinese, the official language in the People's Republic of ...

, as opposed to the more formal dialects of other characters.

Peking opera

References

Further reading