Divine Beast Mask; China, Guizhou, Qing Dynasty, XVIII-XIX centuries.

Divine Beast Mask; China, Guizhou, Qing Dynasty, 18th-19th century.
Wood by Zhang Mu.
Missing on the left ear.
Measurements: 50 x 39 x 13 cm; 65 x 40 x 24 cm (with stand).
It is a hand mask to perform the "Lion Dance". Because of its small dimensions.
The Lion Dance began in China about 2000 years ago, during the Han Dynasty (206 BC-220 AD). It had its greatest apogee during the Tang Dynasty (618-907 A.D.), whose first references appear in the book On Music. The text states that the Lion Dance was danced with five lions, one large and four small, all of different colors. The dance was only for people belonging to the ruling structure of the empire, but little by little it became popular. This popularization facilitated its transformation into what it is today: a traditional dance that is danced with a single lion. It also had a great boom during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), when the Manchus banned the practice of martial arts, to prevent the people from rebelling against their despotic government. Most of the Kung Fu practitioners became revolutionaries who wanted to re-establish the Ming Dynasty, so the Lion Dance was used to exchange information among the revolutionaries.
Within the Nuo rituals, there was a particular lion dance, very active among the Han ethnic group in Hunan. The mask was held in the hand, while the shaman or the person wearing it danced to the rhythm of the music. They sang and danced to musical accompaniment, thus attracting spirits to a certain area and begging for their favors.