Nuo Opera is one of the most popular folk operas in southern China. There are many different stories about the history of Nuo Opera. Some hold that it began during the Zhou Dynasty. It was probably during the Song Dynasty that Nuo became a drama Nuo Opera is the most direct and important expressive medium of Nuo culture. It covers ancient religion, folklore(民间传说) and art and combines literature, music, dance, drama, painting, calligraphy, sculpture and paper-cut. Besides, Nuo Opera involves many acrobatic(杂交的) performances and most of the performers are specially trained. It has great artistic value and is called the living fossil of Chinese drama.
The unique symbol of Nuo Opera, the masks, is considered a treasure of Chinese folk art. Different roles require different masks to reveal the characters, through their changing facial features and decorations. There are many masks used in one drama. The masks are mainly made of poplar and willow, because these two kinds of wood are durable and easy to carve. Studies show that the face painting of Peking Opera and face changing of Sichuan Opera were influenced by Nuo Opera masks.
Nuo Opera used to be very popular in every part of China, but gradually, it faded out in most parts. Nowadays, it remains popular only among rural areas in south-west China, such as Guizhou Province and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Nuo Opera is very different in different areas.
