The features of Changkao Wusheng are wearing a helmet, heavy-bottomed boots and the use of long-handled weapons. There are Changkao Wusheng and Duanda Wusheng. The actor performs with swords and spears wielded deftly and quickly without the attacker actually touching his opponent. Wusheng actors must be good at martial arts roles. The feature of a young warrior is his long pheasant feathers, which rise in sweeping curves from his hat. Depending on the role'sposition in society, the costume of the Xiaosheng may be either elaborate or simple. Xiaosheng can be division into Wen Xiaosheng (a young scholar) and Wu Xiaosheng (a young warrior). The roles sings in a high-pitched and shrill voice, with sudden breaks from his high-pitched voice to represent the voice changing period of adolescence. Xiaosheng is a handsome young male with no beard in Peking Opera roles. A Hongsheng’s voice is vigorous and high-pitched. Guan Gong is one of the important roles in the Chinese classical novel “The Romance of the Three Kingdoms”. One is Guan Gong and the other is Zhao Kuangyin. There are only two roles known as Hongsheng. Hongsheng meant the character had a red face, a sub-category of Laosheng. Yan Jupeng, Ma Lianliang, Zhou Xinfang were also well-known performers of Laosheng role after Tan Xinpei. Many Laosheng actors imitated his way of performing. He opened a new world of opera performance for Laosheng roles. The most famous performer of Laosheng role was Tan Xinpei. Officials and land owners were included in this category. The voice of a Laosheng character had to be gentle and firm.

The costumes had a quieter and more uniform color than that of warriors who had a painted-face. They wore a black hat with tow fins on both sides, which varied in shape based on the role’s status. Laosheng characters had a black or white beard, depending on the role’s age. Laosheng roles included generals or high-ranking officers of the military, but they had a more cultivated disposition than those of real life. Laosheng actors are required to attain the dignity of bearing and gentle, polished manners of the middle-aged mandarin official or scholar. This role has several subtypes according to the character’s age, personality and status, which has Laosheng (Senior Male Role), Hongsheng (Middle-age male), Xiaosheng (handsome young male role specializing in song and recitation), Wusheng (Acrobatic Male Role), and Wawasheng (a child role).

Chinese peking opera characters