Cultural Significance & Historical Context - No opera has played an indispensable role in building Chinese identity for 3,000 years [1] - No opera is considered a medium of hope for people in China, specifically in Jiangxi, China [2][3] - Jiangxi's No opera is a provincial intangible cultural heritage, featuring dramatic performances and rituals [4] - Masks are central to No opera, representing different identities, gods, and deities [5] Rituals & Performances - Performers wear masks to become gods/deities, wishing for the disappearance of illnesses, prosperity, and crop fertility [6] - Rituals involve inviting village deities in processions, placing them for offerings, and chanting invocations [6] - Jung Village's No opera once had a repertoire of 108 distinct masks and characters [7] Challenges & Preservation - Trans-urbanization has led to a decline in No opera in Jung Village, with only seven plays and 34 masks remaining [7][8] - The troop consists of 40 elderly members facing low earnings and oral transmission challenges, risking cultural loss [8] - Performers are injecting No opera elements into urban lifestyles, such as carving figures on utensils [10] - Performers are leveraging internet technologies to record rituals and injecting elements into modern dance forms to appeal to younger generations [11] Dilemma & Future - No opera faces a trade-off between changing to appeal to a wider audience and preserving its original meaning [12][13] - The essence of No opera may shift from preserving its original meaning to simply continuing to dance and enjoy it [14]