Something common to all art forms is the richness of the costumes; these were itinerant shows, and the means of transport were often no more than a carrier with a carrying pole.

In these conditions it was impossible to tour with large, heavy sets and decorations. A form of theatre developed as a result where the meaning of a gesture stood in for the sets.

With a single hand movement one opens a fictitious door, with another, one indicates an immense plain!

To make up for the empty scene, costumes are elaborately embroidered, most often to mirror the costumes of the imperial court.

The Empress