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The art, face painting, derived from the Chinese opera is worth appreciating for its artistic value alone. The paintings are presentations of the roles of the characters, and each role has its telltale facial makeup and decoration. For example, a red face usually depicts the role's bravery, uprightness, and loyalty; a white face symbolizes a sinister role's treachery and guile; a green face describes surly stubbornness, impetuosity, and lack of self-restraint.	The unique makeup in the opera allows the characters on the stage to reveal their role voicelessly.
The chronological time-period of the costume is irrelevant. A performer's costume primarily designates his or her role on the stage no matter when or where the action takes place.	Because the traditional stages were dim and lit only by oil lamps, the costumes incorporated into Peking opera were a collection of sharply contrasting colors. The costumes can be traced back to the mid-14th century. The costumes underwent changes gradually and continually and emerged as they are seen today. Regardless of the four seasons, the opera costume is the same, although the elements are described in every scene and have to be made clear by the actor's movements.
	Peking opera costume should distinguish a character's sex and status at first glance. Peking opera costumes may well be regarded as having the main function of marking off people from all walks of life. By means of a subtle symbol, opera costumes may give expression between the good and the evil.

Accessories, though apparently of little or no account as compared with such principal items as crowns and robes, may nevertheless function to bring about more dramatic effect on the stage. For instance, the wings attached to a hat, the plumes (lingzi) pinned to a helmet, and the cascading sleeves (shuixiu) sewn to a garment even if they have never had any practical use.