Taboos and Cultural Literacy Education in Ritual Performance of Chizhou Nuo Opera, China

Abstract

Chizhou Nuo Opera is a sacrificial folk opera performance organized by clans, characterized by mask-wearing performances, and aimed at “worshiping gods and ancestors, praying for blessings and eliminating disasters” (He, 2012). There are many taboos in ritual performances. These human-imposed taboos not only maintain the sacredness of the rituals, but also play an important role in cultural literacy education. This study explores the taboos in the ritual performance of Chizhou Nuo Opera and its role in cultural literacy education. This study was conducted in Guichi District, Chizhou City, where Nuo Opera is prevalent, and adopted a multidimensional approach that included documentation, interviews with key informants such as inheritors, Nuo Opera artists, cultural experts and villagers, as well as thematic analysis of data collected through participatory and non-participatory observation methods. This study discovered the taboos in Chizhou Nuo Opera rituals regarding language, behavior, gender, time and space, and further uncovered the profound insights of taboos in cultural literacy education such as etiquette, shame, occupation, health, knowledge, and civilization. This study also explored the performance process of Chizhou Nuo Opera and the cultural significance of taboos. This research has important value both in terms of identifying taboo culture and promoting cultural literacy education within the community. Based on these findings, this research suggests that all stakeholders should work together to integrate excellent traditional cultural education and promote cultural literacy.