Yu Changcai - Inheritor of Yi Paper Mask-making Skill in Shuangbai County, Chuxiong

Yuchang Cai is a cultural inheritor from Yulong Township (雨龙乡), Shuangbai County (双柏县), Chuxiong Prefecture (楚雄州), specializing in the Yi ethnic group’s paper-mâché mask-making technique. He is particularly devoted to crafting masks for the Da Luosheng (大锣笙), one of the famed “Three Sheng of Shuangbai” (双柏三笙). Da Luosheng is an important ritual dance of the Yi ethnic Luo Bu (罗婺) subgroup, with masks described as “bamboo-framed, paper-mâché, painted, and standing two meters tall.” Public information about Yuchang Cai himself is limited, but understanding his role requires examining the cultural background of Yi paper-mâché masks and Da Luosheng traditions.

Yulong Township and Yi Paper-Mâché Mask Culture

Yulong Township (雨龙乡), located in Fapiao Town (法脿镇), is a Yi-inhabited region rich in cultural traditions. Its most representative heritage is the “Three Sheng of Shuangbai”—Tiger Sheng (老虎笙), Da Luosheng (大锣笙), and Little Leopard Sheng (小豹子笙). These ancient totem dances are considered rare survivals of Yi exorcistic rituals.

In local practice, Yi paper-mâché masks are primarily used in Da Luosheng performances. Da Luosheng is still performed in Yi Luo Bu settlements such as Zheke Shao (者柯哨), Lifang (李方村), and Shangzhewo (上者窝) of Shuangbai’s Fapiao Town. It combines sacrificial ritual and entertainment.

Characteristics of Da Luosheng masks:

• Made with bamboo framing, layered paper, and painted decoration, reaching about two meters tall

• Consist of two figures—male and female—called Siguo (司公) and Simu (司母)

• Fierce, exaggerated, ghostly-human hybrid imagery symbolizing ancestors

• Worn by dancers clad in shorts, straw clothing, barefoot, carrying large gongs

Transmission of Da Luosheng and Key Inheritors

The main recognized inheritor of Da Luosheng in Yulong Township is Zhang Chengxing (张成兴), a provincial-level intangible cultural heritage representative based in Lifang Village (李芳村), Yulong Village Committee, Fapiao Town. He has trained over twenty apprentices and emphasizes intergenerational teaching.

Lifang Village, regarded as the birthplace of Da Luosheng, lies 35 km from Shuangbai’s county seat and 13 km from Fapiao Town. With 51 households and 186 people—all Yi Luo Bu—the village preserves this heritage as a living tradition.

Other related mask-making and ritual heritage bearers include:

• Li Kaifu (李开富): from Pu Si Village, Fapiao Township, skilled in wooden mask carving

• She Guofeng (佘国锋): born 1967 in Lifang Village, Fapiao Town; a prefectural-level inheritor from a Yi Bimo (毕摩, shaman) family, also trained in Da Luosheng performance

Yi Paper-Mâché Mask Craftsmanship

The Yi mask-making process blends traditional craftsmanship with ritual symbolism.

Materials:

• Main: bamboo strips, split bamboo, handmade cotton paper, pigments, flour paste

• Additional: clay (for shaping), lacquer (for waterproofing)

Process:

1. Sculpt the face in white clay to define features

2. Paste multiple layers of white cotton paper over the mold

3. Dry and reinforce, then apply lacquer for durability

4. Paint facial details such as eyes, mouth, and ears

5. Remove the mask from the mold through the back of the head

Functions:

• Used in ritual dances like Da Luosheng and the Torch Festival (火把节)

• Embody prayers for blessings, exorcism, and ancestral worship

• Some masks are disposable—burned, smashed, or buried after the ceremony

Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection in Shuangbai

Shuangbai County has developed a structured protection system for intangible heritage:

• 86 registered ICH projects: 3 at national level, 6 at provincial, 20 at prefectural, and 58 at county level

• 152 recognized inheritors: 2 national, 6 provincial, 19 prefectural, 125 county-level

• Infrastructure includes the county ICH Transmission & Exhibition Center, a Bimo Culture Hall, and eight township cultural stations with heritage display rooms

• Annual cultural events such as the China Shuangbai Yi Tiger Culture Festival, Fapiao Tiger Sheng Festival, Lifang Village Luosheng Festival, and Yi Torch Festival support preservation and community engagement

Conclusion

Although detailed public information on Yuchang Cai is limited, his identity as an inheritor of Yi paper-mâché mask-making in Yulong Township links him directly to the living tradition of Da Luosheng. His craftsmanship embodies the artistic, ritual, and cultural values of the Yi Luo Bu people, representing an essential chain in the preservation of Shuangbai’s intangible cultural heritage.