Nuo opera (Enshi Nuo opera)

Name of China's national intangible cultural heritage: Nuo opera (Enshi Nuo opera)

Applicant: Enshi City, Hubei Province

Project No.: 233

Project No.: Ⅳ - 89

Time of publication: 2008 (second batch)

Category: Traditional Drama

Region: Hubei Province

Type: Extension Project

Applicant: Enshi City, Hubei Province

Protection unit: Enshi intangible cultural heritage protection and inheritance Exhibition Center

Introduction to Nuo opera (Enshi Nuo opera)

Applicant: Enshi City, Hubei Province

Nuo opera, also known as "Nuotang opera" and "Duangong opera", is a form of local opera formed on the basis of folk sacrificial rites, which is widely popular in Anhui, Jiangxi, Hubei, Hunan, Sichuan, Guizhou, Shaanxi, Hebei and other provinces. Nuo opera originated in ancient times. As early as in the pre Qin period, there were witch songs and Nuo dances that entertained both gods and people. At the end of Ming Dynasty and the beginning of Qing Dynasty, all kinds of local opera flourished. Nuo dance absorbed the artistic factors of opera and developed into Nuotang opera and Duangong opera. During the reign of Kangxi in the Qing Dynasty, Nuo opera appeared in Western Hunan, and then entered the Yangtze River from the Yuan river. It spread rapidly and merged with folk art in various places, forming a variety of different schools and styles. For example, Nuo opera in Hunan and Hubei (mainly popular in Hefeng and Enshi) was formed by absorbing the performance skills of Huagu opera.

The Nuo opera spread in Enshi City of Hubei Province consists of two parts: "Nuo wish opera" and "Tan Nuo". Nuoyuan opera is now in qishuping village and dahegou village of Hongtu township. It has a history of more than 320 years since it was introduced from Hunan Province through Hefeng County of Hubei Province. Tannuo opera is now in Sancha Township. It originated from hongnongtang, where the surnames of Tan and Yang in Enshi were worshipped to ancestors in Hongwu Period of Ming Dynasty. Up to now, it still has 25 complete rituals, such as offering sacrifices, opening altar and asking for water. Enshi Nuo opera has distinctive local characteristics, and its Nuo mask production achievements are particularly outstanding. Now it is unique in Hubei Province, with nearly 100 masks, each of which is closely related to myths, legends and folk stories.

At present, Enshi Nuo opera still retains a number of ancient operas, such as baojiazhuang (Guansuo Opera), etc., which are performed for 40 or 50 times every year in Hefeng County, Xuanen County, Jianshi County, etc. There is a sacrifice in the opera of Nuo wish on red earth and a sacrifice in the opera of Nuo wish on Shancha altar, both of which contain typical ancient sacrificial rites.