China is among those countries with the longest history in production of masks,
where masks, popular until today, are most colorful in design and have the
richest cultural content. Of the country阵 55 ethnic
minority groups relative to the ethnic Han majority that accounts for more
than 90 percent of the Chinese population, 38 are still using masks for entertainment
and religious purposes. These ethnic groups are found in 17 of the 31 provinces,
municipalities and autonomous regions on the Chinese mainland. In short, China
represents an important part of the global culture epitomized by masks.
Masks date from prehistory times, their birth ushered in by a combined force
of primitive hunting, tribal wars, beliefs in witchcraft, and worshipping
of human and animal heads, totem worshipping and sacrificial rituals. Of these,
the most important were beliefs in witchcraft and worshipping of human and
animal heads.
