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Yellow Face
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Yellow Face

play by Hwang
Written by
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Quick Summary

"Yellowface" is a term referring to makeup or clothing used to imitate the appearance of a person of East Asian descent, often for mockery or ridicule. This practice is considered deeply offensive.1

The play "Yellow Face" was written by David Henry Hwang, an American playwright known for exploring the fluidity of identity in his work. Hwang's play, first performed in 2007, reflects on his activism against the casting of non-Asian actors in Asian roles, drawing parallels to blackface minstrelsy. It also examines the concept of "face," which in Chinese culture embodies dignity, reputation, and respect, within American society.2

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2 Britannica Sources
  1. yellowface
  2. David Henry Hwang

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