INGREDIENTS
2c. all purpose flour, 5oz. Chinese chive, 1 bunch mung bean noodles, a pinch of salt, dash of sesame oil
METHODS
1. Place flour in the pot, pour in 2/3c. boiling water and 1/3c cold water, add a bit of salt, knead to make a dough, then cover a wet cloth and set for 20 minutes.
2. Rinse and chop Chinese chive; soften the mung bean noodles in water, chop, mix the two kinds together, add salt and sesame oil to taste and make the filling.
3. Divide the dough into small pieces, stuff the Chinese chive filling into each small dough and shape them as a bun, press flat,then fry with a little oil in fry pan, cook until golden on both sides, then serve.
INGREDIENTS
1c. millet, 1/3c. cracked corn
METHODS
1. Wash the millet and mix with the cracked corn, soak in 7c.water for 30 minutes.
2. Bring method (1) to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cook until the millet and cracked corn soften ,remove from heat, let cool, serve.
INGREDIENTS
1/2 bowl cooked rice, lc. hot Oolong tea
METHODS
Put the rice in the bowl, pour the hot Oolong tea, mix together and serve.
METHODS
Stewed Beef Tripe
Cook the beef tripe until soft, then add the five-spice bag and soy sauce to taste, and cook until the flavor is absorbed, slice when serving this dish.
Stewed Peanuts
Clean the peanuts, cook until done, then add the star anises and some salt to taste, cook until the flavor is absorbed.
Stewed Pressed Tofu
Place five-flavored pressed tofu into stewing sauce and cook until the flavor is absorbed, then slice when eating. If you don't prepare the stewing sauce at home,it is suggested that using the stock together with soy sauce and star anises, and stew to flavored.
INGREDIENTS
1c. mung beans, 2c.rice
METHODS
1. Rinse the mung beans, soak in water for 1 hour.
Rinse the rice and soak in water for 20 minutes.
2. Put the mung beans and rice altogether into the pot, add enough water, and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low,cook until the mung beans and rice get softened. Serve.
INGREDIENTS
1 frozen San Don bun, 1t, salt
METHODS
1. Place the salt into a big bowl, add 1c. water and mix to salty water.
2. Slice bun. Heat 2c. oil, then dip the buns Into salty water then put into the hot oil immediately, deep-fry until golden brown on both sides, then serve.
Chinese opera performers mainly have two methods of makeup: masks and facial painting. The frequent on-stage change of masks, without the audience noticing, is a special technique, known as changing faces. Opera facial painting falls into three main categories -- personality makeup (facial designs, painted faces or Lian Pu), decorative makeup (decorated faces), mood makeup (changing facial designs), and pictographic makeup (animal-like facial designs).
Lian Pu
Personality makeup, or Lian Pu,refers to facial designs for Jing and Chou roles. It originated from daily life experience, describing such changes of expression as white for fear, red for shyness, dark for suntan, and sallow for illness. Most facial designs attach great importance to the eyes and eyebrows.Lian Pu has formed a complete system, such as the facial designs of Peking Opera.
Red, yellow, white, black, purple, green and silver are the main colors used for facial designs to represent different characters. For instance, red stands for loyal, courageous and upright people; white for sinister and cunning officials; and golden and silvery colors for gods and ghosts.
The facial designs for the Jing roles are made by painting, powdering and coloring in the basic forms of Zheng Lian(keeping the basic face pattern),San Kuai Wa Lian(three-section face) and Sui Lian(fragmentary face). These types are widely used to represent generals, officials, heroes, gods and ghosts.
The Chou actors can be recognized by the patch of white in various shapes (cube-, date pit-or bat-shaped) painted around the eyes and nose. Sometimes these patches are outlined in black, hence the term Xiao Hua Lian(partly painted face). The Chou roles fall into the following two categories:Wen Chou(civil) and Wu Chou(martial).
Decorative makeup
Decorative makeup refers to the facial decorations of Sheng and Dan actors, also known asSu Mian orJing Mian(elegant or clean faces). In the early days,Sheng actors and Dan actresses put on light makeup. At the end of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), stage lighting was used, and actors and actresses had to put on heavy makeup by using greasepaint rather than fine powder. Though theShengandDanperformers do not have facial designs as Jing and Chou roles, their makeup is full of decorative interest.
Chinese opera performers mainly have two methods of makeup: masks and facial painting. The frequent on-stage change of masks or facial makeup, without the audience noticing, is a special technique, known as changing faces.
Changing Faces a difficult technique in opera performance. It is considered to be stunts and only mastered after hard training. Face changing is also a special technique used to exaggerate the inner feelings of characters, portray their dispositions, set off the atmosphere and improve the effects. Facial changes expressing sudden changes in the feelings of a character are mostly done in four ways:
Blowing Dust:The actor blows black dust hidden in his palm or close to his eyes, nose or beard, so that it blows back into his face.
Manipulating Beard:Beard colors can be changed while the beard is being manipulated, from black to gray and finally to white, expressing anger or excitement.
Pulling-down Masks:The actor can pull down a mask which has been previously hidden on top of his head and which leaves his face red, green, blue or black, to demonstrate happiness, hate, anger or sadness, respectively.
Mop:The actor mops out the greasepaint, which is previously hidden in his sideburns or eyebrows, around his eyes and nose, thus change his facial appearance.
Wu Yin and Si Hu, or Five Yin and Four Hu,are terms for Chinese opera. They are about the proper pronouncing skills.
Yin means note in pronunciation.FiveYin,the five notes of the ancient pentatonic scale, refers to the five places where air streams pass through to make different sound. It includes Hou(throat)Yin,Chi(through teeth)Yin,Ya(teeth)Yin,She(tongue)Yin and Chun(lip)Yin.
Four Hu, referring to the proper shapes of the performer's mouth when pronouncing, falls in four categories --Kai Hu, Qichi Hu, Hekou HuandCuokou Hu.
Only when the performer gets full understanding and control ofWuYinandSi Hu,can he make the proper and articulate pronunciation when performing.
Nowadays, when we say someone is Wu Yin Bu Quan (an idiom), we mean that this person is not good at singing at all.
In Chinese opera,Jue Se and Jiao Se have quite different meanings.
Jue Se refers to which figure in the play the actor represents.Jiao Se, or Hangdan,is basically classified as Sheng, Dan,Jing,Mo and Chou.
According to the age and social status of the characters,Sheng falls into three sub-groups:Lao sheng, Xiaosheng and Wu sheng;the Dan roles are subdivided into Zhengdan(orQingyi), Huadan, Wudan, Laodan, Caidan, Daomadan, and Guimendan;theJing roles, Dahualian, Erhualian, Wuer Hualian and Youhualian;the Chou roles, Wenchou and Wuchou.
