The purpose of this study was to determine the aesthetic importance of color by analyzing its symbolism expressed through costumes worn in the ballet Raise the Red Lantern. As methods, a literature review and an empirical study were conducted about the symbolism of clothing colors in this ballet. For the latter, costumes of the ballet’s characters were analyzed according to the color and the symbolism. The main colors used for the characters could be reduced to red, green, yellow, and white. Red is a thematic performance element used directly and indirectly as a tool to express Chinese feelings. Red for the protagonist symbolizes a wedding, passion, love, and death. White reflects purity and sorrow. A series of green for the Madame 1 represents jealousy and hypocrisy. For Madame 2, the series of yellow is associated with jealousy, betrayal, and repentance. Costume colors used with consistency in the performance are expressive means to characterize each role. They reflect each character’s mentality in accordance with the situation. The connotations of color elements for emotion and meaning also play a role in optimizing the completeness of the performance.