The hometown of Nuo opera in China is Dejiang.
Dejiang Nuo opera performances are mainly for the purpose of rewarding gods and entertaining people. The performance forms include Nuo sacrifices, Nuo rituals, Nuo operas, and Nuo techniques. The props include Nuo masks, magical instruments, and Nuo costumes. Weaving, paper cutting, dyeing and printing, painting, calligraphy, architecture and other arts are integrated into one. The unique skills of Nuo include driving up the red mountain, going up the knife mountain (ladder), getting down the oil pan, and holding red iron in the mouth.
Dejiang Nuo opera is comprehensively composed of masks, patterns, ritual instruments, Nuo halls and singing and dancing performances by Nuo artists. It has the reputation of "living fossil of Chinese drama".
Nuo, as a magical and ancient national cultural phenomenon, has special significance and rich content, involving folklore, music, drama, art, clothing, sculpture and many other art categories, as well as humanities, philosophy , religion, society, history, ethnicity, language and culture and many other fields.
As early as the Shang and Zhou dynasties, there are records about Nuo. "Zhou Li·Xia Guan·Fang Xiangshi" records: "Fang Xiangshi's palms were covered with bear skin... He was handsome and he was Nuo. , Use the cable room to drive change. "Going down to all dynasties, there are varying degrees of records about Nuo, which shows its long history.
The Origin of Nuo Opera
From ancient times to the present, Nuo opera has experienced thousands of years of accumulation and evolution, forming customs and habits with its own national characteristics.
For thousands of years, the master of Nuo opera has performed activities such as exorcising evil spirits, avoiding disasters, and fulfilling wishes for the host's family. He has arranged all the Nuo props, masks, and sacrifices in the main hall of the host's family. The master in charge of the altar paints a painted face or puts on a Nuo mask, wears Nuo hair accessories, holds a horn master's knife in his hand, and puts a Nuo belt on his shoulder. In the tight rhythm of gongs and drums, after blowing the horns three times, the Nuo performance begins. A series of activities including sacrifices, Nuo dance, Nuo opera, Nuo skills, etc.
When did Nuo opera with such a long history come to Dejiang? There is no precise written record before the Ming Dynasty, but during the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty, the "Customs and Customs Chapter of Sinan Prefecture" contains: "Every year is the end of the year. When entering Nuo, they all sit in the shape of ghosts and gods. The two elders are the Duke of Nuo and the mother of Nuo." At that time, Dejiang is under the jurisdiction of Sinan Prefecture, which proves that Dejiang had Nuo opera activities in the Ming Dynasty.