ABSTRACT
The compendium catalogs a significant sample of the costumes worn in traditional Jingju. The costumes are classified by form and then organized by status or occupation. The cut of the male character’s mang costume closely resembles the Ming dynasty’s version of dragon robes. The historical robes had a rounded neckline and a curved crossover closing tied on the right. The remaining garments are generally referred to simply as clothing, and are divided into four categories: long, short, specialty, and accessories. The short costumes extend from the shoulder to the hip and are generally worn by lower-ranking characters and for less formal scenes. The baoyi is distinguished from other martial arts costumes by two layers of pleated lightweight silk skirts called moving water that are fastened to the hem of the jacket. Consisting of a red jacket, skirt panels, and trousers, the executioner’s costume is recognizable by its distinctive black borders with white piping.
