schabi

The term "schabi" refers to the first Mongolian actors, who were disciples of the lama Noyan Hutuqtu in the 19th century. These actors formed a troupe and performed adaptations of Buddhist morality plays, known as a-che-lha-mo. Unlike traditional Tibetan performances, these Mongolian actors painted their faces with makeup, similar to Chinese opera, rather than wearing masks. Noyan Hutuqtu had a special theatre constructed for these performances, featuring a two-story design where different scenes could be staged simultaneously. The schabi troupe traveled throughout Mongolia, performing a repertoire that required many days to complete.1