Nuo masks

Nuo masks

　　Nuo masks

　　Nuo masks are props used in Nuo opera performances, belonging to the art of painted wood carving. They are divided into specialized Nuo masks and general-purpose Nuo masks: the specialized ones include over 30 types such as Yang Wu, Yang Si, Sheng Gong, and Sheng Mu; the general-purpose ones are mainly categorized into roles like Sheng (male), Dan (female), Jing (painted face), and Chou (clown). These masks vary greatly in expression depending on the character. Typically, they distinguish the personalities of fierce, ferocious, valiant, upright, amiable, gentle, loyal, or cunning characters through variations in facial features and different colors.

　　These stylized, character-driven, and imaginative images allow one to truly sense the primitive, rustic, innocent, and natural essence of Nuo opera. Nuo masks

　　are crafted using high-quality, fine-grained, and tough white poplar or willow wood. Artisans typically air-dry the whole log first, then saw it into small sections, split them in half, carve out rough blanks, air-dry them for some time, and finally hollow them out into various mask shells.