Travel Guide Caiguan 蔡官

Situated 13 kilometres south of Anshun, the village of Caiguan embodies the customs and the art of living from the Buyi minority. The visit of the village can take place in one day, allowing visitors to distance themselves from the crowds of tourists. The region is particularly famous for its masked theatre performances (dixi). The village regularly organises paying performances. In Caiguan and in the villages around you will be able to witness the masks used for this kind of puppet theater. Carved in clove wood, the shape of their eyes indicates the character's good or bad character.The Dixi opera or local opera is characteristic of the Anshun region. Every year, after the spring festival, it is frequent to attend the small villages to representations of these ancient sung dramas. Legend tells us that playing this opera allows to hunt demons and misfortunes. The players'game is quite exaggerated, as is the expressions of the masks, which serve to accentuate the character of each character. Parts often on the scene of fighting, the recurrent characters of the dixi opera are generals, military or civilian, but also magicians, geniuses or clowns.