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An Earth-opera mask from the play, "The Three Kingdoms". Earth-opera is a folk religious drama prevailing in the midlands of Guizhou Province. The stories of Earth-opera are all war-related, eulogising the loyalty of the emperor's servants and battle-worn heroes. In essence, the stories advocate the moral standards of "faithfulness, filial piety, austerity and loyalty" and the martial spirit. The mask is the distinct feature of Earth-opera, which can be divided into four categories based on the roles: officers, Taoists, buffoons and animals. The masks are marked with bold and exaggerated use of red and green, presenting vivid and sharply contrasted hues.
 
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