Books from the thrift-shop: Facial Makeups in Beijing Opera

What is Books from the thrift-shop?
Every week I review one of the many books that I’ve picked up around town and decide whether to keep it for a bit or send it back

Selection for the week of October 14th, 2023

Facial Makeups in Beijing Opera by 顔少奎.; Yan, Shaokui.

Published 1987 by
南京市 : 江苏人民出版社 : 江苏省新华书店发行 Nanjing shi : Jiangsu ren min chu ban she : Jiangsu sheng xin hua shu dian fa xing

Where did you find this book?

Goodwill in Hayward, CA

How much did you actually read?

I read it.

What’s the premise of book?

Characters in classical Chinese opera are often played by actors adorned with intricate face painting. The author provides paper cut-outs to represent facial makeup and provides a description of why each decoration choice was made.

What are your initial thoughts?

The book is quite short and well constructed with thick board-like pages. While there isn’t much explanation of the actual operas being described, the artwork, make-up descriptions, and intricate paper cut-outs protected by plastic are delightful.

Do you recommend this book?

Yes.

Are you going to keep or return this book?

I plan to keep this book. Unfortunately, I’m missing a few of the paper cut-outs.