Each simple and unsophisticated nuo mask, whose role has shifted from primitive totem worship to aspiration for kindness and justice, vividly interprets history. The mask has gradually shed the high shrines and entered the hearts of folk people. It is not only the incarnation and a carrier of gods, but also a mirror that reflects the lives of Chinese ancestors.

 Nuo ritual: from sacrifice to entertainment

Wu Qianbi, a 42-year-old exorcist, performs the nuo ritual -- one type of the existing exorcism rituals -- yearly in a village of the ethnic Tujia people at the base of Fanjing Mountain in Southwest China's Guizhou Province.

A former "living god" in the eyes of the villagers, Wu now describes his role merely as "a player who entertains."

"I still remember very well what my master told me: 'Nuo is to relieve pain for others,'" recalls Wu. "But now, for me, the most essential thing is whether or not I can bring joy to my village folk."

The nuo ritual has been practiced in China for thousands of years -- from primitive society when early men performed sacrifices and conducted ceremonial services to pay tribute to ancestors, gods and goddesses while exorcising demons. It spread widely among people of various ethnicities in the Yangtze RiverValley, the Yellow River Valley and the secluded southwestern region.

Wu has been a "spiritual tutor", believed to possess magical powers to disperse evil demons, spirits and pestilence, for 22 consecutive years. Besides training in ritual procedures and exorcism, Wu is also adept in nuo drama.

The ritual procedure includes inviting, welcoming and thanking spirits. Following the solemn ritual, nuo drama is performed to entertain the spirits.