Nuo Opera, coexisting with Nuo sacrifice, is only performed in January every year. It has its own style with a strong local flavor. With primitive forms and rich characters, it’s males wearing Nuo masks that perform Nuo Opera, embodying the mysterious ancient witchcraft culture. The masks are carved from camphor wood and colored with oil paints. The Nuo altar is exquisitely arranged, integrating weaving, paper cutting, dyeing and printing, painting, calligraphy and other arts.

 

In 2007, the Nuo Opera of Linwu County was included in the first municipal-level intangible cultural heritage representative list. In 2009, it was added to the second batch of provincial-level intangible cultural heritage items. In 2014, it was on the representative list of the fourth batch of national intangible cultural heritage projects.