Nuo China Theater Mask

male mask with headdress acquired in 1998 belgium private collection the Nuo can be considered as a chinese ritual that dates back to the most ancient times, some dating it back to neolithic times. This ceremony consists of various dances and processions towards the gods, similar to rites of exorcisms. "Nuo" means "expulsion of demons" in Chinese. Nuo culture includes several genres, although that of masks is one of the most important. We can also note the existence of Nuo altars, Nuo rituals, Nuo dances, Nuo theater and even Nuo customs. Later, the Nuo evolved and developed an atypical folk performing art often encountered to express wishes for prosperity and luck in various ceremonies. LIn ancient China, diseases or cataclysms were attributed to the presence of demons. It was therefore during great popular ceremonies and processions that masks were worn, representing a whole pantheon of demons and gods. Thus dressed, the villagers danced and tried by their thundering masquerades to repel the evil forces and to attract divine protection. Several ceremonies of all kinds exist respectively, devoted to the manufacture, use and protection of masks. Only men are allowed to make, use and protect Nuo masks. During ceremonies, men wearing masks are seen as possessed by a god or divine spirit. During this period, they are forbidden to speak or move freely. We can, first, note through the Nuo masks, the solicitation towards nature. Most of the divinations of the Nuo culture are thus representations of elements of nature. All the actions seen and performed during the rituals such as the actions of flattery, veneration and sacrifice are indeed an imploration of nature. These ceremonies are only the mirror of the contradiction between man and nature. But we can also note the action of man's domination over the forces of nature. In those ancient times, these forces of nature were seen as ugly, wicked, and bizarre creatures. By chasing them and beating them, the men of that time thought they wanted to chase away disease, death and any other existence that encumbers human life. Finally, these rituals also represented human relations as a whole. Through the Nuo, one could recommend the moral principles of a perfect education governing the human being. Each god corresponded to a mask that was often frightening and grimacing.