Nuo Dance

Not many people are familiar with Nuo Drama, but with over 1000 years of history, it’s the oldest of its kind in China. It was supposed to be featured in the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter olympics, but was ultimately removed due to its unconventional style.

Nuo can be divided into 4 parts: Nuo Song, Nuo Opera, Nuo Dance, and Nuo Mask.

The Nuo dance is traditionally performed during sacrificial rituals to drive away evil spirits and diseases and pay tribute to the gods. These hand-carved wooden masks are the soul of Nuo dance. It is believed that upon the completion of a performance, the mask becomes a living god.

Experienced locals also like to participate in Nuo games, such as walking on fired-up sheets of iron, stepping through coal, and climbing up ladders made of knives.

Unfortunately, these skills aren’t enough to feed a family and are going extinct, as fewer and fewer young people are able to pass on the tradition.