Mask craftsmen keep ancient Nuo Opera alive

Nuo Opera is a traditional drama popular in Xiangdong district of Pingxiang, Jiangxi province, which originates from ancient sacrificial ceremonies. In those days, performing Nuo Opera was thought to drive away plague and other epidemic diseases. Nowadays, it is a custom for local people to perform the opera during traditional festivals to pray for good luck.

The craft of creating masks that performers wear for the opera, which dates back more than 1,000 years, was recognized as national intangible cultural heritage in 2006.

Nuo Opera mask carving is classified into two categories in Xiangdong－the school of the Tang Dynasty (618-907) and the school of the Song Dynasty (960-1279).

Chen Quanfu is an inheritor of the Nuo Opera mask carving skills from the Tang Dynasty school in Xiangdong. He said, "The two schools share one thing in common, that they both emphasize innovation and meticulousness."