Masks of Asia

In China, masks are used in Nuoxi, an ancient ritual performed in temples dedicated to exorcist gods during New Year's Eve festivities.  The dancers masquerade and represent deities or deified historical characters.

The most important is Kaishan ("the mountain opener", creator of the universe). After performing the temple dances, follows the procession of the dancers incarnating the celestial military. These go from house to house spreading protection against disease and calamity.

The masks of the Yao ethnic group living in the southwest of China and borders are called divine heads and are worn by priests in funeral and ordination shamanic ceremonies when the physical presence of gods is required.

They have a two-dimensional shape and are made of paper. The Yao divide the supernatural agencies in four sections: the Sky, the Underground, this World and the Waters. These sections have official messengers to communicate between them and the Yao priests. 

Tai Wai is one of them. He is the officer of the Governor of this World who rides a white horse through the skies carrying reports between the sacred tribune of the Yao priest and the Governor’s office.

There are many forms of masked dance theater in Bali. Wayang topeng shows the biggest variety of masks and movements. It is performed during rituals and in the odalan (temple festivals). The plays begin with the presentation of ministers and the elder Tua. Then, the white-masked king enters the scene with his short, elegant steps.

Finally, the brahman Sidhakarya, who once restored prosperity in Bali, throws rice into four directions and holy water to the public as a symbol of wealth and fertility.  The javanese wayang topeng plays the Hindu epics Ramayana and Mahabharata like in Bali but especially Panji’s story.

Panji is a courageous and seductive hero who conquers the princess Jandra Kirana and vanquishes his main rival, the king Klana. The eyes shape and decorative patterns of the masks of the javanese wayang topeng differ from the balinese ones.

Seraikala Chhau is a masked dance from Bihar. The masks, which were first created by the prince of Seraikala in the beginning of the 20th century, are extremely graceful.

The drama is performed during the annual festival Chaitra Parva, dedicated to the agricultural cycle that coincides with the moon, the sun and the constellation in transit.

The masks represent gods and characters in original scenes, such as the night dancing with the moon or the sun seducing a young girl.

Krishnattam is a performance represented at the Guruvayur Temple in Kerala State, which stages the eight plays or stages of the life of Krishna, a Hindu god. The actors produce elaborate movements and gesture.

Bugaku theater is an artistic expression imported from China, in the 8th century, through Korea or by Southeast Asia. It can only be seen in Japan, where it still preserves its narrative and performative heritage. 

This is the case of the chinese court dance, from the Tang dynasty (618-907), which evokes the martial prowess of Lanling (Ranryo, in Japanese), a 6th century prince who, when fighting, wore a hideous mask to hide his young and seductive face.

The masks presented in Bugaku are usually supernatural beings and animals, as birds and dragons.

The popular masked dances played by troupes of peasants in Korea perform a series of jokes on social satires. They are religious and comic, even obscene. 

There are four regional types of theater: Sande in Yangju region, Pongsan, Hahwe and Yaryu-Okwande. Each region has its own typical masks and different jokes though each represents the same characters. 

The Lhamo theater represents historical events, legends, episodes of the life of kings, stories of popular heroes, as well as the lives of Buddha and bodhisattvas.

The performance begins with a purification ritual that is followed by a summary of the plot and the dance of the hunters and the heavenly fairies, the ache lhamo (goddess sisters).

The Khon is a classical, danced and masked Thai theater featuring episodes of Ramakien, the Thai version of the Hindu epic, the Ramayana, the story of Rama. 

It began as a court show but moved out of the palace and became performed in public squares, temples, religious festivals or funerals. The Khon was uniquely represented by men who featured acrobatic choreography with violent movements.