Earliest Masks
Nǐ Hǎo and welcome to China! In China, the earliest masks found were made about 3500 years ago (Cultural China). They played a part in the art of Shamanism and other religious healing (Cultural China). Many rituals were performed with the aid of masks in order to appease ancestors, the deity, Di, and ask for blessings (Cultural China).
Exorcism Masks
During the Shang (1766 – 1046 BC) and Zhou (1046- 256 BC) dynasties, many folk customs existed, including the exorcism. Masks were worn during the exorcism in order to dispel evil and pestilence (Cultural China). In the Zhou Li, Xia Guan and Fang Xiangshi, the folk wizard/exorcist custom is recorded:
Fang Xiang Shi appeared in red and dark robe. He had four golden eyes, and covered his hands and feet with bare fur. Holding a shield and a dagger-axe in hands, and having hundreds followers under his command, he was ready to fight off demons and pestilence. (Cultural China)
This folk wizard custom, originating in the middle of the Yangtze River Valley, spread to the east and west of the valley, and North to Sichuan and Southern Shaanxi, connecting with the central plain in the Yellow River (Cultural China). If one were to combine all the exorcist masks from these different areas, one would be able to conjure the vision of the exorcism warrior, Fang Xiang Shi (Cultural China). The face would be a mixture of tiger and ox, with long tiger teeth and oxen horns protruding from its head (Cultural China). The masks were worn at important events such as birth in order to dispel the evil from the home (Cultural China). The social base for exorcism culture was to dispel all evil and emphasize the brave and the honest in order to live a safe, comfortable life (Cultural China).
Fang Xiang Shi appeared in red and dark robe. He had four golden eyes, and covered his hands and feet with bare fur. Holding a shield and a dagger-axe in hands, and having hundreds followers under his command, he was ready to fight off demons and pestilence. (Cultural China)
This folk wizard custom, originating in the middle of the Yangtze River Valley, spread to the east and west of the valley, and North to Sichuan and Southern Shaanxi, connecting with the central plain in the Yellow River (Cultural China). If one were to combine all the exorcist masks from these different areas, one would be able to conjure the vision of the exorcism warrior, Fang Xiang Shi (Cultural China). The face would be a mixture of tiger and ox, with long tiger teeth and oxen horns protruding from its head (Cultural China). The masks were worn at important events such as birth in order to dispel the evil from the home (Cultural China). The social base for exorcism culture was to dispel all evil and emphasize the brave and the honest in order to live a safe, comfortable life (Cultural China).
Theatrical Masks
Masks were often used in theatrical performances and opera (Cultural China). In the tradition of Chinese aesthetics, the masks were made in a formulated way based on the nature and personality of the character it was portraying (Cultural China). They were then further decorated with feathers, fur and other ornaments (Cultural China). Colours were very important when designing masks; they were used to portray different characteristics of the entity that was being portrayed (Cultural China). Red represented bravery, loyalty, devotion and uprightness (Cultural China). Black was used to depict a bold and fierce character (Cultural China). Masks in theatre were important because they not only added to the entertainment value of the performance, but also helped the audience to understand the message of the show, and take away valuable moral lessons (Cultural China).