Nuo Opera is one of the most popular folk operas in southern China. There are many different stories about the history of Nuo Opera. Some hold that it dates back to the Zhou Dy-nasty. Nuo Opera is the most direct and important expressive medium of Nuo culture. It covers ancient religion, folklore(民间传说) and art, and combines literature, music, dance, drama, painting, calligraphy, sculpture and paper-cut. Besides, Nuo Opera involves many acrobatic(杂技的) performances and most of the performers are specially trained. It has great artistic value and is called the living fossil of Chinese drama.

The unique symbol of Nuo Opera, the masks, is considered a treasure of Chinese folk art. Different roles require different masks to reveal(揭示) the characters and express the meaning of the play, through their changing facial features and decorations. There are many masks used in one drama. The masks are mainly made of poplar and willow, because these two kinds of wood are durable and easy to carve. Studies show that the face painting of Peking Opera and face changing of Sichuan Opera were influenced by Nuo Opera masks.

The government is making an effort to bring the opera into campuses. The Fengquan Elementary School in Jiangxi Province started teaching its pupils the Nuo dance in 2002. Teachers have written textbooks about Nuo culture and organized students to make Nuo masks. They also invested in Nuo costumes, masks and instruments, taking students to museums on the Nuo culture.

Nuo Opera used to be very popular in every part of China, but gradually, it faded out in most parts. Nowadays, it remains popular only among rural areas in south-west China, such as Guizhou and Guangxi. Nuo Opera varies in different areas.

From ancient times, Chinese people love food made of flour, like dumplings, noodles, and pancakes, to name just a few. And in the hands of skilled artisans, flour can be made into lovely models of people or animals to be enjoyed and played with, which brings a unique kind of pleasure. This art form is called dough figurine (面塑). Among the various art styles of dough figurines, Beijing’s Dough Figurine Lang is a unique folk art, which is filled with the rich history and customs of the capital city. In 2008, it was included in the list of national intangible cultural heritage.

It was created by Lang Shao’an. Most of the dough figurines are animals and characters from legends,historical stories,and local operas. The finished product is either put at the end of a thin stick or on a table for display. Some are mostly for children to eat or play with, with simple forms and vivid decorations, while some are fine pieces of artwork for display only. For this reason, during the making process they are often mixed with additives (添加剂) to better preserve the finished products.

Lang Jiaziyu, born in 1995, is the third-generation inheritor of Dough Figurine Lang. When he was 15, he created Beijing Olympic Mascots shaped dough figurines which were highly praised. He looks a bit more fashionable than other folk artisans. In his skilled hands, pop culture icons are popular with young people.

Like most of the other intangible cultural heritage handicrafts in China, Dough Figurine Lang does not get as much attention from the public. Few young people are willing to take the time to master a skill that does not make money, which has led to a decline in the number of those who are committed to the handicraft. Good handicrafts need the devotion of artisans from one generation to another.

It cannot be denied that Hakka earth buildings, or Kejia tulou, are totally different to traditional architectural styles both in China and abroad

Beyond their giant size, earth buildings are unique for their robust(坚固的)architecture. The multi-storey buildings were built with a mixture of earth, sand, glutinous rice , bamboo and wood chips, solidly tamped(夯实)into walls up to two metres thick. Each building could shelter hundreds of people——all sharing the same surname. If danger approached, the doors would be swiftly bolted(闩上)shut. Weapons would then be distributed among the men. Food would be stockpiled in advance and water drawn from the wells located within the building.

Though sometimes called roundhouses, not all earth buildings are doughnut-shaped. Oval square and rectangular ones can be found as well. Some earth buildings bunch up in picturesque clusters, but many stand alone

While some of the oldest existing earth buildings date back to the 12th century, the most recent examples were built in the last century. In a typical earth building, rooms are arranged in a ring-like formation, which face onto a circular central courtyard.

For anyone numbed by the impersonal nature of modern Chinese apartment blocks or the rapid pace of urban China, the earth buildings are charming reminders of what communal village life was like in the past. The Chinese frequently say, “A nearby neighbour is better than a distant relative.” The earth-building-living Hakka have the best of both worlds, as neighbours are also relatives.

Despite their sturdy defences, the earth buildings are falling victim to a gradual hollowing out from within. Like so many villages across China, grandparents and grandchildren can be found playing together, but there is often less and less indication of the presence of the labouring generation between the two. The young and the middle-aged have left to earn money in the country’s cities and towns, leaving many earth buildings largely depopulated.