Nuo, an odd word, even people with certain educational level do
not know it. It is now well into the ranges of uncommon words and uncertain
when, it will completely disappear from modern young people's glossary.
Combined with certain kind of mischief dramatically, Nuo is a
solemn ceremony held by ancient people in China every Lunar New Year, as a
conversation between men and God. The masks used during the Nuo Opera are
called "Buddha Face". After the ceremony of the fete, the urban
people put on their masks and “turn” themselves into infinite instead of human
beings.
After the gongs, drums and firecrackers, the ceremony begins from
chaos with dances and singings. Previous Nuo Opera is quite magnificent and
attended by both officers and the society. However, with most of the young
people leave their villages and go into the cities, Nuo is now mostly operated
by elders or young children. The official script handwritten by elder people
spreads out gently, a cigarette lightly lighted and a cup of tea infused, unfolds
the mental scenery of Chinese nation’s long and remote history in front of our
eyes…
