Preface by Yan Changke
Nuo culture has a long history. For generations, it has persevered with remarkable vitality, propagating and continuing in remote villages and wilderness areas almost forgotten by people. Within those scenes of invoking spirits and deities, there is not only the wild artistic charm but also extremely valuable academic significance hidden beneath. China's Nuo cultural heritage is incredibly rich. Traces of it can be found everywhere in many provinces and regions, including Hunan, Anhui, Guangxi, Sichuan, Yunnan, Jiangxi, Jiangsu, Shanxi, and more. The mountainous areas of China's multi-ethnic Guizhou Province, in particular, are fertile ground for preserving this ancient culture. This precious treasure has been rediscovered, and its unique theatrical form has sparked even greater interest among people.
Around 1984, the "Opera Research" journal of the Chinese National Academy of Arts and the "Theatre Arts" journal of the Shanghai Theatre Academy published articles introducing Dixi, one of Guizhou's Nuo operas. In October 1986, the Dixi troupe from Caiguantun, Anshun, was invited to perform at the 15th Autumn Festival of Arts in Paris, France, and the 2nd Madrid Art Festival in Spain, attracting attention from foreign audiences. In November 1987, the "Exhibition of Guizhou Ethnic and Folk Nuo Opera Masks" was held in Beijing, opening the eyes of the capital's audience and receiving an enthusiastic response. In November 1988, the "Exhibition of Guizhou Nuo Art Forms" was held in Guiyang, along with the Guizhou Nuo Culture Academic Symposium. Scholars from all over the country attended, and the Chinese Nuo Opera Studies Association was established. This collection of essays is one of the academic achievements of that symposium.
Nuo culture encompasses many aspects of anthropology, ethnology, folklore, and literary arts. From a theatrical perspective, Nuo opera also provides us with valuable research materials and beneficial insights. Wang Guowei's "Research on Song and Yuan Dynasty Operas" explores the origins of opera, stating at the outset: "Did the rise of song and dance begin with ancient shamanism?" The people of Chu were fond of shamanism. Qu Yuan's "Nine Songs," which entertain the gods with song and dance, is often cited by historians as evidence. "The Qiang sound and color entertain people, observers are tranquil and forget to return home." (from "The Lord of the East") The grandeur of shamanic music and dance and the beauty of voice and appearance are reflected in people's joy and forgetfulness to return home. However, the exact connection between theatrical art and primitive religious activities like song, dance, and invocation of spirits remains a topic requiring further in-depth research.
Although today's Nuo opera has undergone long-term development and changes, it still holds value as a kind of living fossil. As a tangible reference, it is very meaningful. Operatic performances once had the purpose of entertaining the gods. As time passed, the elements of entertaining both gods and people became increasingly prominent, while strict religious consciousness became quite diluted or even ceased to exist. In Nuo opera, we can already see the integration of religious culture and secular culture. Its performances include both religious rituals and secular content such as historical accounts, legends, and folk stories. These perhaps reflect the cultural psychology of the audience and its influence on the development of theater. The exact relationship between Nuo opera and traditional opera is an interesting question worthy of attention.
The performance forms of Nuo opera are mostly very simple, yet they can often encompass mysteries as grand as the universe's primordial chaos or as specific and minute as trivial family matters. Those masks, either fierce or comical, diverse in style, exaggerated yet complementary, with vivid shapes, are indeed creations of beauty. It uses the vast rural fields as its stage, can be very flexible and free in its span of time and space, and the interaction between the audience and the performance is quite casual and intimate. Its unconventional aesthetic characteristics and various unique artistic techniques demonstrate rich imagination and bold creativity. These are undoubtedly very inspiring for contemporary artists.
The comrades in China's Guizhou Province are uniquely advantaged in studying Nuo culture. They have attached great importance to this and have done a lot of valuable work, conducting arduous and meticulous field investigations and accumulating quite rich first-hand materials. At the same time, they are rooted in their local area while keeping a national perspective, noting that as a global cultural phenomenon, it is necessary to broaden one's vision and elevate theoretical interest. In this collection of essays, there are both concrete and vivid descriptions of local scenery and in-depth discussions of comprehensive comparisons, with quite substantial content. After reading it, I feel I have gained a great deal. Although this work may have just begun, it already has a good start, which is truly gratifying.
