Nuo China Mask

strange double Nuo mask. it can be closed like a box Origin Ruth and Pierre Denhaive collection Belgium The Nuo can be considered a Chinese ritual that dates back to the most ancient times, some dating it to the Neolithic. This ceremony consists of various dances and processions towards the gods, similar to exorcism rites. “Nuo” means “expulsion of demons” in Chinese. The character nuo 傩 refers to exorcism ceremonies performed by masked officiants. The ceremonies to which this term applies feature the expulsion of the used energies of the year and a purification in order to welcome the new energies. To justify this, most contributors use an exegetical approach consisting of searching for the oldest mention of the character. In ancient China, illnesses or cataclysms were attributed to the presence of demons. It was therefore during large popular ceremonies and processions that masks were worn, representing a whole pantheon of demons and gods. Thus dressed, the villagers danced and tried through their thunderous masquerades to repel evil forces and attract divine protection. Several types of ceremonies exist and are dedicated to the manufacture, use and protection of masks. Only men are authorized to manufacture, use and protect Nuo masks. During ceremonies, men wearing a mask are considered to be possessed by a god or a divine spirit. During this period, they are forbidden to speak or move freely. We can first note through Nuo masks the solicitation towards nature. Most of the divinations of Nuo culture are thus representations of elements of nature. All the actions seen and carried out during rituals such as flattery, veneration and sacrifice are in fact an imploration towards nature. These ceremonies are only the mirror of the contradiction between man and nature. But we can also note the domination of man over the forces of nature. In these ancient times, these forces were seen as ugly, mean and bizarre creatures. By hunting and beating them, the men of that time thought they could simultaneously chase away illness, death and all other existences that cluttered human life. Finally, these rituals also represented human relations as a whole. Through the Nuo, we could recommend the moral principles of a perfect education governing the human being. cf article https://interactionchine.wordpress.com/2018/06/19/masque-nuo-collection-dart-premier-et-du-chamanisme-2/