Symposium on Contemporary Nuo Operaology and Chizhou-Nuo Opera Protection and Inheritance Held in Chizhou, Anhui Province

The representative national intangible cultural heritage project “Chizhou-Nuo Opera” is mainly distributed in the regions lying on the piedmont of Jiuhua Montain in the city Chizhou , Anhui Province, like Guichi, Qingyang, Shitai, etc., which is particularly centralised in the villages like Meijie, Tangxi, Dunshang, etc. In those villages it is known as "no Nuo no village".

On November 5th the symposium on contemporary Nuo operaology and Chizhou-Nuo Opera Protection and Inheritance started in Guichi District, Chizhou City, Anhui Province, which was jointly organized by China Nuo Research Society, Chizhou City Culture and Tourism Bureau and Guichi District People's Government. Nearly 80 Nuo experts and scholars from all over China gathered in Chizhou, exchanging research results, discussing hot spots and cutting-edge topics of Nuo opera in the new era, as well as the excavation, protection, inheritance and development of Nuo opera in Chizhou. This event was aimed at strengthening the awareness of developing and expanding outstanding Chinese traditional culture and further promoting creative transformation and innovative development of Chizhou-Nuo opera effectively through in-depth study of the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and the important instructions of President Xi Jinping on the protection of intangible cultural heritage.

At the opening ceremony, Vice Secretary of District Party Commission and Chief Executive of Guichi District People’s Government of Chizhou City Qian Song, Vice Secretary of City Party Commission and Minister of Publicity Department of Chizhou City Tian Xin and the Honorary Chairman of China Nuo Research Society Liu Zhen addressed successively. With the expectation that the guests contribute their wisdom for protection and inherits of Chizhou-Nuo culture and promote the integrated development of Chizhou culture and tourism, they expressed their warm welcomes to the guests and their gratitude to people from all walks of life who long-term concern the cultural development of Chizhou. Witnessed by all the guests and experts, Tian Xin and Chairman of China Nuo Research Society Li Zhiyuan unveiled the official plate for Chizhou City Nuo Culture Research Base together. China Nuo Research Society has also issued group membership certificates to Chizhou City Nuo Culture Research Base and gave a number of Nuo-cultural research books and materials as presents.

After the opening ceremony, the Honorary Chairman of China Nuo Research Society and the former Curator of Mei LanFang Memorial Museum Researcher Liu Zhen, Advisor of China Nuo Opera Research Society Prof. Ma Guojun, Researcher He Yuren, Chairman of China Nuo Opera Research Society Researcher Li Zhiyuan, the former Director of Chizhou Prefecture Culture Bureau of Anhui Province Lyu Guangqun, Prof. Chen Yuping of Guizhou University of Nationalities , Member of the Party Committee and Vice President of Nanchang Normal University Prof. Liu Yonghong, Secretary of Party General Branch and Vice Chairman of Guichi District Dramatists Association of Chizhou City Researcher Tan Xinjian, Prof. Tan Jiasheng of Chizhou University of Anhui Province , Prof. Zeng Huamei of Xinghai Conservatory of Music delivered keynote speeches centered on the core topics of the symposium.

That afternoon, 50 experts and scholars were divided into 4 thematic groups "Nuo Cultural and Historical Theory", "Chizhou-Nuo Topic", "Nuo Cultural Region Characteristics" and "Nuo Cultural Inheritance, Protection and Entrepreneurship and Innovation Practice" according to the content of their papers and made splendid speeches and enthusiastic communication.

The next day, the event organizers led the participants to field visits in Yao's ancestral Hall in Meijie Town, Guichi District, and Nuo Culture Exhibition Center. The participants watched the Nuo Opera “Dance of Umbrella”, “Hit the Red Bird”, “Liu Wenlong”, “Meng Jiangnyu”, “Kui Xing Decides the Top Scholar”, “Hunnies Drink”, “Lord Guan Yu Beheads Demon”, etc., which were shown by Clan Yao from Village Yin , Clan Liu from Village Nanshan and Clan Zhang from Village Taihe on Nuo Village Stage in the town Meijie. The participanting experts and scholars had great response to the performance and fully affirmed the inheritance and innovation achievements of Chizhou-Nuo Opera.

On the afternoon of the 6th in the short and precise closing ceremony,  a comprehensive summary has been made for the situation of the academical communication. The representatives of each sides of the event organizers expressed sincere gratitude to all participating experts, scholars and all staff to plan, organize, provide services during the event and put forward a beautiful outlook to Chizhou-Nuo Opera as well as the prospects for the culture and tourism industries of Chizhou.

Copywriter: Zhan Yiping

Translator: Jiang Jiyan

China Nuo Opera Research Society