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Description

Pair of pink silk Cantonese opera boots with an embroidered floral motif in light green, medium green, black and white. The boots have platform soles made of cardboard with a leather base shaped with upturned toes and painted white. The top, back, and front seams as well as the ankle are embellished with off-white piping. Off-white cotton lining with padded cotton insole.

History Of Use

Boots of this type, with elevated soles, were and are used to represent male characters that are not of low rank. These may be for a civil or a military character, as indicated their medium height and the decorations. The decorations also indicate that the person represented was not of the lowest rank. The role type would be “civil gentleman”, “mahn saang”, “martial gentleman”, or possibly “small martial”, “siu mouh”. The size of the boots suggests that they were probably worn by a man, not by a woman playing male roles. Their art deco style decorations help to date them. The style of most Cantonese opera costumes derives from clothing of the Ming Dynasty, with the exception of some costumes that are specific in style to clothing of the Qing Dynasty, for operas set in that dynasty. Ming Dynasty style costumes are used for operas set in all other dynasties. In Cantonese opera, the standards for indicating particular role types and character types through costumes were and are not as strict as those for Beijing opera, and the use of symbols appears to have been inconsistent. The performance style of Cantonese opera is also much more flexible than that of Beijing opera, and change and novelty were and are valued. This is reflected in the costumes. It was important that robes and headdresses be appropriate to each other, but the footwear was less strictly controlled.
Early in the twentieth century there was a multiplicity of role types, but the number of role types was simplified over time, and some were merged. More than one actor can play a particular role type at any one time, and they are ranked. A basic list follows, but more role types exist. Among the female role types are those who can fight (called “fa daan”). The highest of these can sing, and is called the ”jing yahn fa daan”. Another female role type is the “ching yi”, a gentlewoman, sometimes humble and struggling, who sings but does not do acrobatics and fight. A third female role type is the old woman “louh daan”. A fourth is the female clown “neuih chauh”. Male role types include the “siu saang” (young gentleman), “mouh saang” (military man), “fa mihn” (painted face, military man with less education), “sou saang” (bearded gentleman, older civil male), “jung saang” (mid-rank male with many skills, but not outstanding), and “chauh saang” (male clown). Costumes are specific to general role type and often to character type, but rarely to the specific character. They are divided into civil and military types, as indicated by their sleeves. Civil costumes have wide sleeves, while military costumes have tight sleeves. Other details such as colour indicate the role type and character type. As indicated by this collection, “water sleeves” “seuih jauh” were rarely used in the pre- World War II period. Many costumes conform to named types, such as “yuhn lehng” “round neck” and “hoi ching”, scholar’s long robe overlapping at the front, with wide sleeves.
Male and female role types can be played by either men or women, depending on their abilities and attributes. In the past, troupes were all-male, but later all-female troupes and mixed troupes were formed. Mixed troupes were accepted in the overseas Chinese context before they were accepted in China.

Cultural Context

theatre

Iconographic Meaning

The platform soles indicate that the person represented male, of at least medium rank, and more likely to be civil than military. The decorations also indicate that he was not of the lowest rank.

Specific Techniques

Wear on other costume elements shows that the fabric was woven with a silk weft and cotton warp, or vice versa. Embroidery was done in satin stitches using silk floss. Uppers are machine stitched; soles are stitched by hand.

Narrative

A large group of Cantonese opera costumes, musical instruments, props, trunks, and stage fittings was left with the Jin Wah Sing Musical Association, apparently by some of the many itinerant troupes visiting Vancouver to perform in the Chinatown theatres in the pre World War II period. There is no certain knowledge of why these materials were not taken back to China by them. They were used by the Jin Wah Sing Musical Association in their performances until they became too dated. The association continued to preserve them carefully, storing them in their headquarters and in the basement of the Chinese Freemasons building until several groups of materials were sold and donated to the Museum of Anthropology.

Item History

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