The historical origin of Peking Opera costume fabrics can be traced back to the Ming Dynasty. Before the Ming Dynasty, Peking Opera had not yet been formed, but elements related to Peking Opera costumes and fabrics already existed in early opera performances. With the development of opera culture and changes in performance forms, Peking Opera costume fabrics gradually formed and evolved to this day.
During the Ming Dynasty, the fabrics of Peking Opera costumes mostly used high-end fabrics such as satin and silk from imperial official uniforms to reflect the nobility and nobility of the characters. The costumes of ordinary people’s characters mostly use ordinary civilian fabrics such as cotton and linen.
During the Qing Dynasty, popular fabrics included silk, satin, silk, etc., and their textures were richer. The influence of the Qing Dynasty’s court costumes also gradually penetrated into Peking Opera costumes, making the costumes more gorgeous and solemn. During this period, more iconic clothing such as green shirts and black mandarin jackets appeared.
During the Republic of China, the fabrics of Peking Opera costumes began to change with the trends of the times. At that time, the concept of Western clothing was introduced, and some costumes using satin and knitted fabrics appeared, making the clothing more modern.
After 1949, Peking Opera faced certain reforms and developments. Clothing fabrics have also changed accordingly, and more modern synthetic fiber fabrics have been introduced, such as chiffon fabrics, chemical fiber satins, etc. These new fabrics not only have better luster and softness, but are also more suitable for stage performances and can better express the character’s image.
Today, the choice of fabrics for Peking Opera costumes is more diverse, and silk, satin, silk, cotton and linen, chiffon, Oxford cloth, etc. are still common choices. At the same time, some new fabrics have also begun to be used, such as elastic fabrics, synthetic fibers, etc., to meet different stage effects and performance needs.
Through the understanding of historical origins, it can be seen that the evolution of Peking Opera costume fabrics is closely related to opera culture, era background and performance forms. The choice of clothing fabrics in each period reflects the aesthetic concepts, social environment and role image requirements of that time.
