Sichuan Opera: Change Facial Masks
Director: Xie Pingan, Zhang Kaiguo, Liu Zhongyi
Performed by Sichuan Chuanju Troupe
Published by Peninsula Audio-Visual Publishing House, 2005
Media: 1 DVD
Regional setting: All
Subtitle: Chinese
Running time: 130 minutes
ISBN: 7883671251
ISRC: CND010500670

Sichuan Opera, Chuan Ju, Change Face, Face Changing, Changing Faces

Making use of the unique techniques of changing facial masks in Chuanju (Sichuan opera), this opera represents the tragic social turmoil in the early years of the Republic ruled by KMT. The vivid picture about the floating life of a folk wandering actor of Chuanju nicknamed Floating on Water and a girl called Gouwa (Baby Dog in Chinese) reveals the miserable fate and unremitting struggles of the artists who live at the lowest social level in that time.

A senior Sichuan Opera artist with a consummate skill in "changing faces" travels in his small boat along the Yangtze River, bringing the art to the people along the two riverbanks. But the old man is frustrated with his life mission to entertain audiences since he has no heir to continue his tradition. In the hope of finding a proper heir, Shui shang piao buys Gouwa from a human trader and adopts him as his grandson. With Gouwa traveling alongside him, the artist teaches his "grandson" the skills of the trade; but soon Shui shang piao discovers that his "grandson" is, in fact, a girl. However, he keeps the girl as a "helper."

With a subtle plot and solemn and stirring music, the play showcases the cultures and customs of the province's Bashu areas, that was selected one of the ten best stage plays of 2004 from the "National Project to the Distillation of Stage Art."

商品名称：川剧《变脸》
导演：谢平安、张开国、刘忠义
主演：任庭芳，何洪庆，张继泽
演出：四川省川剧院
介质：DVD
碟数：1
字幕：中文 
出版社：半岛音像出版社，2005
ISBN：7883671251
ISRC：CN-D01-05-0067-0/V.J8

这是一部以变脸技艺为载体，集中展现民国初年黑暗的时代状况和病态的社会众生相的悲剧，该剧通过江湖艺人水上漂与一个被贩卖七次年仅九岁的小女孩狗娃之间悲欢离合的感人故事，表现了在那个凄风苦雨的年代底层艺人的凄苦命运，以及他们与命运的抗争与搏斗。

这是一个荣获众多奖项，在全国戏剧界都享有崇高声誉的剧目，该剧情节感人，体现了厚重而浓郁的四川民风，优美的音乐唱腔，生动传神的表演，再加上川剧特技“变脸”、“吐火”、“藏刀”等，一定会把你带入那个动人的故事里，带入那个令人悲哀的民国时代……