The jing role in Peking Opera has many forms of facial make-up, including the "whole-face", "three-tile face", "quartered face", "six-division face", "tiny-flowered face" and "lopsided face". Each pattern is rooted in his ability to make subtle and interesting changes within the human face, and each pattern has its own symbolic meaning. Take Meng Liang -- the famous warrior of the Song Dynasty -- for example. His face is painted red with an inverted gourd on his forehead. This pattern represents his weapon, the huo hu lu .

Although painted faces are extremely stylized in their colors and patterns, no two painted faces are alike. For example, there are more than 100 face painting styles designed for Xiang Yu, the ruler of the Western Han Dynasty , and each one is very different.

Painted faces not only are used in facial make-up on the stage, but also have become a popular theme in Chinese folk art. Paper -painted faces made by artists sometimes look even more beautiful than those used on stage. In recent years, painted faces have developed into an independent art in China.