Take stock of those classic Beijing songs (9): "Rap Face"

Peking songs are songs that add elements of Peking opera music. They are an improvement and innovation of Peking opera and an enrichment of modern songs.

Most of the Beijing songs are profound, sentimental, majestic, and can be heard in one ear and stirred in the intestines.

The song "Rap Mask" particularly emphasizes the "Beijing flavor" of the language, which is also a major feature of Peking Opera singing. Lyricists and composers pay great attention to the "four tones", which should be flat and smooth, so as to make the words straight and round.

The song "Rap Mask" was written by lyricist Yan Su, composed by composer Yao Ming, and sung by young singer Xie Jin. It has been widely circulated and deeply loved by people.

In terms of color, the current Peking Opera masks include red, purple, black, white, blue, green, yellow, old red, tile gray, gold, silver and other colors, which are based on the natural skin color of the characters. Exaggerated descriptions develop into allegorical colors that symbolize character.

Generally speaking, red depicts the character's loyalty, righteousness and bravery; purple symbolizes wisdom, courage and righteousness; black reflects the character's noble character of loyalty and integrity; water white implies the character's cunning nature and vicious methods. Face; oil white expresses conceited and domineering character; blue symbolizes strength and bravery; green outlines the character's chivalrous spirit; yellow means cruelty; old red mostly expresses respected and loyal veterans; tile gray symbolizes old heroes; gold, The two colors of silver are mostly used for gods, Buddhas, and ghosts to show their golden faces and bodies, symbolizing a sense of illusion.

That day my grandfather took me to watch the Peking Opera.

I saw many colorful faces on the stage.

Red, white, yellow, green and blue grinned and stared,

while singing and shouting, "Wow, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,"

It was like thunder, chirping in the ears.

When the "Four Hits on the Head" appeared, (wow...), it was so beautiful, so wonderful, it was just OK, awesome!

The blue-faced Dou Erdun steals the royal horse,

The red-faced Guan Gong fights in Changsha,

The yellow-faced Dian Wei and the white-faced Cao Cao,

The black-faced Zhang Fei screamed.

To be honest, the facial makeup of Peking Opera is really beautiful.

But the singing and speaking are all in dialect, which I can’t understand.