In Tongren, Guizhou Province, Nuo opera – a unique ancestral ritual of the Tujia ethnic group – has a long and rich history.
Nuo masks serve as an important component of this ritual, involving an intricate process completed by hand. From material selection, shaping, carving, polishing to the final coloring and lacquering, it involves six main stages and over 20 meticulous procedures. Each step requires craftsmen to dedicate their efforts to create vividly expressive and lifelike Nuo masks.