Shangbu Nuo Temple

Shangbu Nuo Temple

Shangbu Nuo Temple is a cultural relic protection unit of Pingxiang City.

Shangbu Nuo Temple is located in Shangbu Administrative Village, Dongyuan Township, Shangli County. It was built in the fifth year of the Hongwu reign during the Ming Dynasty, underwent its third renovation in the sixteenth year of the Daoguang reign, and was rebuilt in 2002. Legend has it that the temple was originally constructed in the 24th year of the Kaiyuan reign during the Tang Dynasty, initially as a single room at Dengzhanwo, with walls made entirely of rough stones and the Nuo masks cast in copper. It is said that in the 27th year of the Yuan Emperor Shundi's reign, because performers wearing copper masks during the Nuo dance could not remove their masks, nine people were suffocated to death, and had to be buried along with the copper masks. Later, the masks were replaced with those carved from camphor wood. During the Qing Dynasty’s Daoguang reign, the temple was expanded, and 80 masks were crafted, divided among three halls dedicated to the gods of fortune, prosperity, and longevity. These were respectively sent to Jiangling, Shidongkou, and Xiaojian, where three more Nuo temples were built, all of which have been preserved to this day.

Address: Shangbu Administrative Village, Dongyuan Township, Shangli County, Pingxiang City, Jiangxi Province