The "face change" is the highlight of the Sichuan Opera. It is said that the ancients painted their faces to scare away wild animals. It consists of changing the actor's mask several times and at lightning speed without the viewer noticing. This technique symbolizes the emotional changes of the character using concrete objects: the colored masks.
Chinese illusionists have jealously guarded the secret of this technique which is passed down from one generation to the next, strictly within one's own family. This means that daughters traditionally are not allowed to learn the art, as when they get married they go outside the family.
