Liang Jianxiong shows a Manggao mask he made on January 28, 2019. Photo: IC 

Manggao, which means "masked god" in the Miao culture, is enjoying a revival due to the increasing numbers of tourists visiting its birthplace.  

It is said that the Miao's ancestors used to carve old trees to make those masks in order to drive out evil and bring good fortune. They then put on the masks and cloaks made of grass, and acted as savages in order to resist invading bandits. 

This custom is still practiced in one Miao town today. Every year, on the 17th day of the first month of the lunar new year, villagers celebrate the Manggao Festival in Anchui township, Rongshui Miao Autonomous County of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, as the town is the cradle of their culture.  

Hoping that the masks will bring good fortune in the coming year, tens of thousands of local villagers gather in the mountainous region and dance in celebration. Some also smear black straw ash on people's faces, as this represents good luck.  

The Manggao Festival has been passed on for generations and was listed as a provincial intangible cultural heritage in 2016.  

Liang Jianxiong, a villager in Anchui township, has been making Manggao masks for over 40 years. He started to learn mask-making techniques from his father when he was 12 years old.  

Liang is known far and wide for his masks, which can be seen during the Manggao Festival and the Spring Festival every year. People from across the country come for the festival and to enjoy his masks. Due to their popularity, visitors have to order months in advance to get one of Liang's masks.  

A Manggao mask requires light and soft wood. It usually takes a craftsman more than two days to complete one, including carving the wood, painting and polishing it. Liang said every mask is different, and has its own features and age brand marks. He designs his masks purely from his imagination and what he sees in his daily life.  

The cultural inheritance of Manggao mask crafts has met some challenges in the past, as many rural residents now go to cities to work. However, with the boom in the county's tourism industry, the Manggao masks have attracted many visitors and brought a revival to the custom.  

In the past, mask-making skills were only passed between people with the same surname in the town. Liang broke this convention, and took the initiative to teach anyone with the passion to learn and pass on this culture.  

Liang uses light and soft wood to make Manggao masks. Photo: IC

Liang's "king of Manggao masks" is displayed during the Manggao Festival and the Spring Festival every year. Photo: IC

Liang paints on a piece of wood as part of the mask-making process. Photo: IC

Children in Anchui township come to see how Liang makes Manggao masks in his home. Photo: IC