Nuo Mask, Southwest China, Probably Yunnan Or Guizhou, 19th Century

Nuo mask depicting:
Tongzi / Xiaotong (童子 / 小童) — The Ritual Protector Child
Stuccoed and polychrome hardwood, very old patina, signs of internal wear.
Southwestern China, probably Yunnan or GuizhouFirst half of the 19th century
Dimensions: 21 × 16 cm

"Tongzi, or Xiaotong, refers to a child figure in the Nuo (傩) and Dixi (地戲) ritual theaters.
Its hairstyle, featuring two side buns known as zongjiao, refers to a very ancient children’s hairstyle, known in Chinese tradition since antiquity.In Nuo (傩) and Dixi (地戲) rituals, child figures carry on ancient practices of protection and ritual purification. They were associated with preserving the community’s health, as well as with protecting fertility, pregnant women, and newborns.
This half-mask, which leaves the dancer’s mouth free to speak, sing, and breathe, features a smiling face of great expressiveness. The elongated eyes, wrinkled cheeks, and ancient polychromy give this childlike figure a lively, familiar, and benevolent presence.

Provenance: Former Collection of Paul-Louis Couailhac (1945–2025) A French expert in East Asian studies, a graduate of INALCO, and a renowned bibliophile known for having assembled one of the most significant private collections of Chinese Nuo theater ritual masks in Europe. An exhibition showcasing his collection of Nuo masks was dedicated to him in 2026 in Issigeac, organized by the Ocarina Gallery.

Sold with a certificate of authenticity from expert S. Reynes and an invoice from the Ocarina Gallery.
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