Chen Duling’s “Mirror Demon” look once went viral. Many netizens thought it was a great creative idea at that time. But did you know that the gold – painted makeup has long existed?

Ⅰ. What is Gold – Painted Makeup

During the Wei, Jin, and Southern and Northern Dynasties, Buddhist culture was in vogue. As the poem goes, “In the Southern Dynasties, there were four hundred and eighty temples, with countless towers and terraces in the misty rain.” All over China, temples were erected everywhere, filled with monks. Emperors, royal families, officials, and wealthy gentry vied with each other to donate gold and silver to gild Buddha statues, which became a widespread trend for a time. Buddha statues were mostly decorated with gold powder.

The following picture shows the Triad Statue of Gilded and Painted Buddha and Bodhisattvas from the Eastern Wei Dynasty, which is located at the site of Longxing Temple. (贴金彩绘佛菩萨三尊像，龙兴寺遗址)

This phenomenon inspired many devout and beauty – loving female believers. They would smear or cover their foreheads with gold or yellow pigments, creating a unique makeup look. At that time, it was called “Buddha Makeup,” also known as “Forehead Yellow (额黄),” and could be decorated with “Flower Yellow (花黄).” Some people said that Forehead Yellow was painted on, while Flower Yellow was pasted on. There were diverse opinions on this.

“Forehead Yellow” meant covering half of the forehead with this golden – yellow color. During the Southern and Northern Dynasties, this “Goose – Yellow Makeup” was particularly popular. The application method mainly involved half – coating, where the golden – yellow color only covered half of the forehead, either the upper or lower part, and then it was blended with clear water to create a natural transition effect from dark to light. This technique was called “约黄” This makeup not only retained the solemnity of the culture but also added the vivid beauty of art, becoming a major feature in the female makeup of that time.

Ⅱ. Details of the Gold – Painted Makeup

“Open the door of my east chamber, sit on the bed in my west chamber. Take off my war robe and put on my old dress. Combing my hair by the window, pasting flower yellow in front of the mirror.” From “The Ballad of Mulan,” (《木兰辞》) we can guess that the “Flower Yellow” makeup decoration might be pasted on with materials, but it could also be painted. If it was pasted, some noble ladies might have used gold foil or imitation gold – foil paper. According to different occasions and needs, pigments could also be chosen.

In addition, according to the concept of “Flower Yellow”, it might not just be a half – face yellow makeup, but could also refer to various patterns on the face. One can imagine that at that time, women often used yellow powder to draw all kinds of flower and bird patterns on their foreheads, or cut golden – colored paper into the shapes of flowers and birds and pasted them on their foreheads. This kind of decoration not only added delicacy and beauty to their faces but also demonstrated the unique pursuit and creativity of ancient women for beauty. Even today, in the makeup styles of the donors in Dunhuang during the late Tang and Five Dynasties, such flower – and – bird patterns can still be seen.

During this period, various gorgeous gold ornaments with different shapes were unearthed. The separatist rule and unrest of the Southern and Northern Dynasties, as well as the inheritance and changes of culture, are just a few brief strokes in historical records. However, the integration and collision of diverse civilizations, and the southward migration and integration of the northern gentry, quietly shaped many different makeup styles during this period.

Gold objects from this period also developed a unique style. The social functions of gold and silver items expanded further. The manufacturing techniques became more proficient, with continuous innovation in shapes and patterns, and many objects with distinct exotic styles emerged. Those magnificent makeup looks, just like these jewelry pieces that have amazed the passage of time, still retain their charm even after thousands of years.

Summary

This kind of luxurious makeup can be said to not only reflect a certain “Money Talks”, demonstrating one’s status and devout beliefs, but also mirror the awakening of women’s self – awareness at that time. They began to break through the traditional concept of “a woman makes herself beautiful for her beloved”, showing more individuality and independence. From today’s perspective, it seems that with a little decoration and without being overly exaggerated, this kind of makeup aesthetic is still very much in vogue.

Nowadays, of course, there are all kinds of makeup looks for women to choose from. However, no matter which makeup style one likes, what suits oneself is definitely the most important. Today happens to be Women’s Day in China. I wish all the women around the world a happy holiday and hope they can live the life they desire.