Jin Wu Shu Opera mask
Legend of Yue Fei
Guizhou Province, China
21 inches, painted wood

Jin Wu Shu was a prince of Jin kingdom, located in the north of China, from where they attempted to invade the Song Dynasty about 900 years ago. This mask is in the traditional size (large) and is highly detailed.

Made under the direction of Wu Ku Wei, a Tun Pu villager who grow up in the classic opera tradition. “Tun Pu” means military barracks and these villages are scattered in mountainous Southwest China, mainly Guizhou Province. These Tu Pu villages were created in the Ming dynasty for the purpose of defending the country. Nowadays there are only a few left and the people living there are in their 22nd generation. Mr. Wu has about 20 years of crafting experience and has achieved several awards for his works.

These old operas are mainly performed during the harvest season and the Chinese New Year. During the performance, actors are dressed up in theatrical costumes and wear masks. The performance is accompanied by orchestral music and percussions, and its storyline is mostly related to historical fictions. There are many different stories, and the masks for at least 70 different characters are still being made today.

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