Drama Mask Drama Mask

The character depicted by this 19th-20th century mask, Yang Ren, had his eyes plucked out for speaking against King Zhou, final ruler of the Shang Dynasty (c. 1600-1046 BC). A charm later restores his sight, causing two hands with all-seeing eyes on their palms to sprout from his empty sockets. The symbols on his hat represent powerful natural forces. In the story Investiture of the Gods, Yang Ren joins forces with a team of human rebels, Buddhist gods, and Daoist immortals to defeat the king. While the tale is fantastical, it—like many plays—was inspired by historical events from China's early dynasties.