Decoration, Costume, And Symbolic Design in Chinese Theatre

This website talks about how decoration is considered in chinese drama, how it is filtered, and how scenery is considered "silly and unnecessary." It mentions how scenery only exists in the imagination, talks about the symbolism of their makeup, characters and how animals came to be. They also mention the Theatre God and what they call the "Twelve Ornaments."

1. Sun, in a bank of clouds, with a three-legged bird inside disc

2. Moon, containing a hare and a mortar and pestle

3. Constellation of stars connected by straight lines

4. Five clawed Dragon

etc.

http://www.theatrehistory.com/asian/chinese002.html