Nuo theatre

People performing Nuo theatre

Nuo theatre,[1][2] Nuo drama,[3] Nuo opera,[4] or Nuoxi (traditional Chinese: 儺戲; simplified Chinese: 傩戏; pinyin: nuóxì) is a traditional theatrical art popular in many regions of China. Characterized by its special features such as ferocious masks, unique dresses and adornments, the strange language used in performance, and mysterious scenes, Nuo theatre has been selected[by whom?] as one of the non-material cultural legacies of China. The opera is a religious performance intrinsic to the culture of Nuoism, a type of Chinese folk religion. The purpose of Nuo theatre is to drive away devils, disease and evil influences, and also to petition for blessings from the gods. Singing and dancing are included in Nuo theatre and performers wear costumes and masks.

Nuo theatre is a direct and important expressive medium of Nuo culture.[citation needed] Other forms of representation of Nuo culture include Nuo dance (傩舞/儺舞), Nuo song (傩歌/儺歌), Nuo sacrifice (傩祭) and Nuo ceremony (傩仪/儺儀) and others. The unique symbol of Nuo theatre, the masks, are considered a treasure of Chinese folk art.[5]

There is a considerable repertoire in Nuo theatre and this varies from area to area. Nuo dramas are usually based on well-known Chinese historical events or folk stories such as Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Journey to the West, Water Margin and the story of the Dragon Kings. Some famous repertoires of Nuo theatre include Lady Mengjiang, Seizing the Yellow Devil, and Story of Mount Liang.

During the Zhou dynasty (11th century-256 BC), this art form was very popular in the Yangtze River, Yellow River and Nenjiang River valleys.[citation needed] However, the opera's popularity waned in those river valley areas. Nowadays, it still remains popular among rural areas in China, such as Guizhou, Anhui, Jiangxi, Hubei, Hunan provinces and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. It is also popular in the regions inhabited by ethnic minorities such as the Tujia, the Miao, the Dong and Yao.[5]

  1. ^ Chongqing, Huangpu; Lusheng, Cao; Schechner, Richard (1989). "Nuo Theatre in Guizhou Province". TDR (1988-). 33 (3): 113–121. doi:10.2307/1145991. ISSN 1054-2043.
  2. ^ Zhao, Xiaohuan (2021). "The Nuo theatre". Chinese Theatre: An Illustrated History Through Nuoxi and Mulianxi. Volume One: From Exorcism to Entertainment. London: Routledge. ISBN 9781315460291.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference autogenerated4 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ a b Zhang, Tianlin 张天林: Nuoxi: mysterious Chinese Opera and Its Masks (神秘的傩文化——傩戏与傩面具). Page 49, Women in China (01/2007)