Since the pre-Qin period, Chengdu (be) an important cultural town in China. But really sets the city apart, culturally, is its opera. An important aspect of Sichuan Opera is magic of "face changing" where vividly coloured masks are changed within the blink of an eye. In opera gardens and tea houses across the town, audiences (want) a glimpse of the local culture love to drink tea while listening to Sichuan Opera and watching face changing.
It is believed that "face changing" has its roots in evolution. Early humans needed(survive) strategies to avoid fierce animals and foreign invaders. Often, aggressive facial gestures and non-verbal cues were part of it. The Sichuan Opera is said (bring) this range of emotions on stage.
Once the performance starts, the actor keeps pulling down one mask after in swift movements to convey different emotions. (surprise), no matter how close one is the stage, they just can't tell how the masks change.
In fact, the different kinds of characters and personalities that Sichuan Opera brings alive can (find) among common people. This is why its emotions will continue to resonate with people for a long time.
