Travel is important because it fundamentally transforms us. Sometimes, that includes the literal sense. It was over 11 years ago that my love of foreign films led me to a class on Chinese Cinema. Much of the coursework focused on the works of China's Fifth Generation filmmakers, but the one film that struck me visually was Farewell My Concubine. Winner of the 1993 Cannes Palme d'Or, it's a story of two men who meet as apprentices in a Beijing opera troupe and the woman who comes between them. Events in the film run parallel with the Beijing opera (also named Farewell My Concubine) that is woven into the storyline.

In Chinese opera, there are twice as many female role types (or dan) as there are male. The term dan means "female impersonator"; however, this was not an early version of Ru Paul's Drag Race. In the feudal society of old China, women were forbidden to perform on stage, let alone enter the theater. This resulted in male opera singers performing the female roles in Beijing opera.

When my boyfriend was unable to accompany me on my first visit to China, I found a reluctant travel companion in my Mom. China was not on her bucket list, so I needed to plan something special to commemorate this mother/daughter trip, something totally different and unique that we could bond over and remember always. Though widely popular amongst younger travelers on family itineraries, I knew when it was our time to visit Beijing I wanted to have our faces painted and to don traditional Beijing opera costumes. 

The process to apply the makeup is 3 hours. It begins with a heavy layer of white foundation and powder because the Chinese admired fair skin. This foundation is also applied to our hands. Rouge accents are applied on the cheeks and swept upwards, with the eyes themselves circled in rouge. Eyebrows and eyelids are lined and darkened, while lips are drawn small and round. In order to make the ends of our eyes tilt upwards, our hair was pulled back and fixed in place with adhesive tape, then covered in fake hair. 

The hair application begins with elm tree shavings soaked in hot water. A gel is formed and used as an adhesive to apply the fake hair on the forehead and side of face, giving the male actor a more feminine appearance. This was our least favorite part of the experience, when my Mom referred to the sideburns coated in gel as "slithery eels". 

We scanned the closet of elaborate layered gowns before deciding on our favorites. Were we ready for our private photo session? Not quite. A former star of the Beijing opera was on hand to demonstrate hand gestures and vivacious eye movements characteristic of the dan role: expressing joy or excitement, identifying oneself, and expressing salutation. The highest aim of performers is to put beauty into every motion, so the eyes are used to conduct non-verbal communication. A shift of the eyes or a slight nod of the head conveys meaning. Even the manner in which a dan holds her hands represents the petals of an orchid flower. I'll be honest; it's a lot harder than it sounds. 

The result was an amazing collection of portraits, saved on CD for us to cherish always. The reaction on people's faces when they see our pictures is priceless (followed by "That's really you?!?"). You don't often get that kind of reaction from travel photos. It was probably the best souvenir we've ever brought back from our travels.

Some say the Beijing opera is a dying art in China because it evolved into Revolutionary opera during the Cultural Revolution and most modern audiences don't understand the historical contexts. You'd be surprised to learn the girl who applied my makeup was no more than 18 years old. In the San Francisco bay area, younger generations are connecting this traditional art to travel. Just ask 16 year old Tyler Thompson, an unlikely star of Chinese opera star from Oakland:

"It's made me want to know about a world outside of America or California or Oakland. It takes you out of your box."

So there you have it: a travelogue of a mother and daughter bonding over dressing up like men who performed as women. Nothing appeals to your inner child like the lure of theatrical makeup and costumes. There's even an App for it!