No.4 Expressions Behind the Mask: How Nuo Opera Crafts Vivid Characters | "Nuo, Nuo Opera, Nuo Culture" Edited by Wang Hengfu

In this comprehensive exploration of Nuo masks, a vital component of traditional Chinese culture, we delve into their multifaceted nature and profound impact. This article is part of the "Nuo, Nuo Opera, Nuo Culture" series, expertly edited by Wang Hengfu.

Key aspects covered:

1. Cultural roots of Nuo masks
2. Creation and meaning of Nuo masks
3. Symbolic features of Nuo masks
4. Fusion of religion and art in Nuo masks
5. Folk legends behind Nuo masks
6. Aesthetic characteristics of Nuo masks
7. Role of Nuo masks in performances
8. Relationship between Nuo masks and actors
9. Design and color features of Nuo masks
10. Deep cultural significance of Nuo masks

Nuo masks are deeply rooted in the masses of rural China, crystallizing the aesthetic tastes of generations. Each mask is connected to the aesthetic judgment of the people, permeated with an understanding of human essential power, and represents a form of self-representation while bearing the cultural characteristics of its historical era.

Crafting and Symbolism

Nuo masks, made of wood, paper, or bamboo leaves, contain rich connotations within a limited space. They encompass social, historical, religious, folkloric, and artistic content, as well as intrinsic human characteristics and emotions. Unlike the standardized facial patterns of Peking or Sichuan opera, Nuo masks allow for a freer and more vivid expression of emotions, reflecting various fantastical wishes of the people.

The design of Nuo masks - depicting humans, gods, and ghosts - carries symbolic features on both religious and aesthetic levels. As objects of religious worship, they embody both religious and artistic qualities. When materializing religious concepts, the mask designs have religious symbolism, rooted in the needs of Nuo rituals and the religious consciousness of believers.

Symbolic Representation

Nuo masks function as signs, with some designs symbolizing supernatural entities. Special techniques are used to represent different qualities: animal horns or bird beaks symbolize ferocity, fangs represent cruelty, and an extra eye symbolizes great magical power. These methods indirectly reflect the non-realistic and hypothetical nature of the characters represented.

Cultural and Aesthetic Significance

From an aesthetic perspective, Nuo masks retain some symbolic characteristics of primitive art. The overall trend in mask design moves from symbolic representation towards realistic detail, though the symbolic aspect remains dominant. The masks achieve a relative unity of intuitive and symbolic, characterization and iconization, often embedded in their deep structure.

In Nuo rituals and performances, masked actors can often enter a state of "trance," merging themselves with the character and associated meanings of the mask. This phenomenon relates to the "actor's paradox" discussed by Plato and later by Chinese academics.

Artistic Expression and Design

The exaggeration and distortion in Nuo mask sculptures stem from people's experiential perceptions, constrained by cultural mentality. Many mask designs do not conform to general principles of sculptural portraiture. Features are distorted to display the power, ferocity, or humor of gods and extraordinary beings.

The coloring of Nuo masks often contradicts principles of color theory in art. It's unbound by theory, instead reflecting color perceptions influenced by local geographic and cultural environments. For example, masks from Libo in China's Guizhou Province use color to create distinctions, with strong contrasts within each mask creating vivid, striking, and unbalanced visual impressions.

Conclusion

Nuo masks embody a complex system of aesthetic symbolism that aligns with Nuo concepts. They materialize and visualize supernatural forces, transforming human features through imagination. The degree of transformation is determined by the ability of the design and coloring to make these masks embody deities with certain powers in the believers' imagination.

This creates a "distance" between humans and deities, both spatially and psychologically, expressing the believer's perception of the deities' transcendence and boundless power. This distance generates symbolism in Nuo masks, allowing various inconsistencies in form and color to be adjusted and transformed into something rational in the minds of Nuo believers.

As such, Nuo masks serve as carriers and intermediaries, facilitating emotional communication and the sublimation of religious emotions. They represent a living cultural phenomenon that continues to offer rich material for the study of sociology, religious studies, theater, folklore, and various art forms, contributing significantly to the development of Chinese national culture.