A Chenyang Nuo Ritual folk activity, which had been interrupted for decades, was held on March 20, Longtaitou Festival, the second day of the second lunar month, in Lutang Village of Lutang Town, Beihu District. Nuo rituals, Nuo opera and folk performances took turns on stage, attracting surrounding villagers and folk customs enthusiasts to watch.

At 9:00 a.m., the event kicked off with a lively dragon lantern dance. Subsequently, members of the Nuo opera troupe dressed in traditional costumes took the stage one after another. After a series of primitive rituals, including incense offering, running over burning fire, and bridge building, Nuo opera plays such as “Slaying the Little Ghost”, “Playing the Divine Lion” and “Dancing the God of Earth” were officially performed.  

The performers, wearing masks with different expressions, moved with strong and powerful steps and sang in a high-pitched and desolate tone, vividly interpreting the ancient stories of exorcising evil spirits and invoking blessings.

The folk program “A Mouse’s Wedding”, performed by the children in the village, breathed new life into traditional folk customs with the childlike performance, sowing the seeds of intangible cultural heritage inheritance in the hearts of teenagers. For many young people, Nuo Opera is a somewhat unfamiliar name. In fact, Nuo Opera is more than just a drama but it is a comprehensive folk art that combines sacrificial rituals, dance performances, and folk stories.

In Chenzhou, Nuo Opera and Nuo rituals have always coexisted since ancient times. People perform a series of rituals such as incense offering, walking over fire, and  troop formation to pray for blessings and ward off disasters, and then interpret myths, legends and historical stories through Nuo opera to express their simple expectations for good weather, bumper harvests, and prosperous families.

He Hengshe, a 70-year-old representative inheritor of Chenyang Nuo Opera, was the protagonist of the event that day. He was busy on and off stage all the time, from hosting the ceremony to performing in the plays.

When asked why the event was held on the second day of the second lunar month, He Hengshe said, “On the second day of the second lunar month, when the dragon raises its head, spring comes, everything wakes up, and the ‘dragon’ is at its most active. At this time, performing Nuo opera is to pray for good weather and peace in the area. This is a rule that has been passed down for hundreds of years.”

He and his team members spent a half month preparing for this event.

In recent years, the municipal and district-level governments have increased efforts to protect endangered intangible cultural heritage projects, revitalizing this ancient art form through excavation, rehearsal of plays, and training.

At present, Chenyang Nuo Opera has initiated the application process for representative projects of intangible cultural heritage at the municipal and provincial levels, in an effort to ensure this “living folk custom” can be better protected and inherited.

Chinese source: czxww